


The Prince and The Witch

by TheSleepyNinja15



Category: Code Geass
Genre: F/M, Family, Friendship, Love, Romance, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-04-24 03:20:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 98,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14346903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSleepyNinja15/pseuds/TheSleepyNinja15
Summary: Lelouch vi Britannia is a prince. C.C. is a witch. They said that princes are for princesses and witches are just convenient obstacles for them to prove that true love exists. But what if the prince is inlove with the witch? AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

It's the Prince's 21st birthday.

_Shit._

The Prince, Lelouch vi Britannia, the heir to the throne of the Britannian monarchy, covers his sleepy eyes with his right hand upon remembering what particular day it is – his birthday. To make it worse, it's his 21st birthday which means the Queen is going all out with the celebration which is just another way for her to find a suitable noble lady to be his betrothed.

A headache is starting to grow behind his eyes. It's so early for him to be awake, sunlight hasn't even entered his windows but the noisy footsteps of the servants, their loud chatters, the commands from the head maid and the occasional  _clangs_  of whatever they are carrying along the very long hallway (good Lord, please don't let them break any of it) woke him up faster than his alarm clock. He looks at the Cheese-kun clock resting on his nightstand.

_5:30 in the morning._

He sighs. At this point, he cannot go back to sleep now that his head is starting to think of every possible way how his mother and of course, he can't forget, his cousin Clovis and his close friend Lady Millicent, or "Milly" will make this celebration the  _most fabulous, frivolous, and fantastic birthday party ever!_  Those were their exact words to him yesterday when they found him at the Aries Villa where he was taking refuge with his adorable twin siblings, Princess Nunally and Prince Rolo.

_"I promise you, this will be the talk of the town for the next six months, cousin!" Clovis excitedly informed him while touching the fresh rose resting at the middle of his collar._

_"I don't really need that kind of celebration, you know," Lelouch calmly said as he watched the twins play with flower crowns in the garden. "Rolo, have you checked the stems if they have thorns? Please be more careful!"_

_"But my dear son, this is your 21st birthday! Your coming-of-age, the time when you'll become a real man, when every noble cannot deny that you are suitable for the throne, not just because you are a young genius who can outsmart them all. And more importantly…" The Empress's face moved dangerously close to his own, the only thing separating them was the cup where he was drinking his tea from. "More importantly, this is the ideal age to find your other half and produce babies for the throne."_

_"Mother!" He almost choke on his tea and spray it on his mother's face which would be so unprince-like. He coughed a bit as Empress Marianne returned to her seat, smiling mischievously at her son. "M-Mother," cough, "I told you," cough, "It's not on my plan yet. I prio-" cough, " – ritize my studies for now," cough._

_Milly started patting him on the back while cooing, "Poor Lulu, poor Lulu, you got tears on your eyes."_

_"Yes, yes. My son who is so diligent at studying eventhough he could just easily pass the course in a span of two years but what, he chose to take it normally like an average student. Oh, Clovis! Oh, Milly!" The two quickly went to her sides and rested their heads on her shoulders. "What good did I do to deserve a dream son as outstanding as my little Lelouch?" she ended dramatically._

_The two assured her that she was the best empress they ever had so she truly deserved Lelouch as a son while the latter muttered, "I'm not little anymore."_

Lelouch lets out a tender chuckle as he recalls the memory. He adores her mother so much, Marianne "The Flash" as the people call her because of her skills in equestrian, but sometimes she's just so overdramatic and excited at everything that involves her children.

 _Might as well get up and check the preparation,_  he thought. He doesn't want to be left out of the tricks the trio has prepared and be unpleasantly surprised by the ridiculousness at the end of the day.

* * *

 

After changing from his Cheese-kun pajamas, he gets out of his room only to be almost bumped by a running Rivalz who is carrying a large vase full of white calla lilies.

"Your Highness! Good morning! Happy birthday! I'm so sorry!" he quickly apologizes, his heart racing from the idea of his Prince getting drenched from the almost possibility of him dropping the vase full of water because he was too surprised to see His Highness up this early in the morning.

"Thank you. Next time, be mindful of your surroundings, Rivalz. Is the Empress already awake?" Lelouch asks.

"Yes, Your Highness. Her Majesty is currently at the kitchen supervising the chefs."

"Thank you. You are dismissed."

With that, the servant leaves, walking more carefully, minding his surroundings with observant eyes just like what his Prince told him.

 _And now, it's time to avoid the kitchen,_  Lelouch thought.

* * *

 

It is already noon when Lelouch finally finishes receiving phone calls and greetings from his close friends who have the special privilege to have his number saved in their contact lists

Now, he is in the reading room, staring, no, glaring at his silent phone as if it is the most despicable thing to ever be held by his hand.

"Brother, are you waiting for a call from a particular someone?" Nunally asks with a giggle.

"No, Nunally," he grunts without taking his eyes off his phone.

"But you've been glaring at your phone for the past 15 minutes now, Lelouch," adds Rolo.

"I am not."

The twins giggle louder from the books they are reading. "Oh, why don't you just initiate the call so that you'll stop worrying?"

He shakes his head and finally places his phone on top of the desk. "I'm not worried, Nunally. And I will never initiate a call just to force someone to greet me happy birthday. That is quite impolite."

"But you're torturing yourself, brother," Rolo says with a worried look on his face. "Knowing – "

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

Lelouch lets out a relieved sigh. He is saved from the innocent interrogation of his younger siblings by whoever is on the other side of the door. As much as he loves the twins, their innocence often causes them to ask too many questions, and many of these questions he prefers not to answer.

"Who is it?" he asks in an authoritative tone.

"Suzaku Kururugi, Your Highness."

"Come in."

The Reading Room's door opens revealing a young man the same age as the Prince bearing a youthful and approachable face, with eyes of shining emerald and hair of chocolate.

"What is it, Suzaku and please, how many times shall I tell you to call me 'Lelouch'? I understand that you were donned as a Knight last week but you're also my bestfriend, or have you forgotten?"

The Knight, Suzaku, visibly relaxes and announces in a friendlier tone, "Your High – err, Lelouch, Princess Euphemia li Britannia has arrived in the palace."

"Euphy is already here?" the twins exclaim happily.

"Yes, Nunally, Rolo. She is currently at the Sun Room talking to Her Majesty. And Lelouch, in Euphy's own words," Suzaku clears his throat and says in a higher, girly voice, " 'Tell my cousin to see me at once so I can give him my gift. Don't he dare hide away from me or else he'll see his room turn into a pink haven' she said."

With that, Lelouch feels chills run up his spine and quickly exits the Reading Room to face another one of his energetic relatives.

* * *

 

He received an expensive, rose-gold watch from Euphy who insistently made him promise to wear it during his party. And so here he is, sitting between the thrones of His Majesty, Emperor Charles zi Britannia and Her Majesty, Empress Marianne watching the guests dance on the floor in their elegant ball gowns and suits as the mini orchestra plays waltz in the background while he occasionally glances at his new watch, silently hoping for the party to end soon.

He is getting bored. He was done dancing with Nunally, Euphy, and even Milly. He had also played a friendly match of chess with his another older cousin, Schneizel which resulted to a draw, an end he isn't sure he is happy about. He frowns.  _I must practice more so I can finally defeat him,_  he thought.

Euphy's older sister, Cornelia has also already greeted him and spent some time talking about their military forces and the new trainings she is planning to implement to strengthen their capabilities. That was fun.

He crosses his legs and leans back on his throne. Good thing Clovis didn't go all crazy with his wardrobe and he can still move easily in his clothes. He is wearing a pair of purple tailcoat suit and pants with amethyst gems serving as buttons. The collar and cuffs bear leaves patterns as accents. To complete the look, an elegant deep violet cape with high collar and golden embroideries is draped on his shoulders, giving him a  _very aristocratic, elegant and sophisticated style_ , as Clovis had said.

He is really getting bored. He had already entertained dances with three noble daughters, who kept on giving him side glances and giggle with every word he uttered, and that was already past his limit which is one.

He is getting so, so bored but he doesn't want to show any sign to his mother because he knows the amount of hardwork and dedication she had put in this. With all her extravagant and ridiculous ideas, the celebration actually turned quite normal and pleasant. A bit over-the-top with the decorations but still bearable. If only he has more interest in parties, he would have enjoyed this more.

He sighs. He has been doing so much sighing today.

"Are you okay, Lelouch?"

He looks up and finds his father staring at him. Emperor Charles is a big and intimidating man. Almost every servant in the palace scrambles to make way and bow before him whenever they are in his presence. And his booming voice does not help in lessening the fear of the people around him. But the children knows better. For Emperor Charles might be a presence to behold but his heart is as soft as a cotton especially when it comes to his heirs.

"I'm fine, Father. Just a little tired from all the dancing I've done," Lelouch replies with a smile.

"Well, dear, has someone caught your attention?" the Empress asks from his left. "Too bad Princess Shirley wasn't able to attend the party, but she sent her sincerest regret and apologies. She would have looked so lovely in whichever dress she would have chosen to wear. You're in the same age, right? Anyway!" she suddenly declares, her hands clasping infront of her chest, "Looks like the last of our guest has finally arrived!" She immediately stands up and walks over to the entrance. Lelouch, curious, follows his mother with his eyes until she vanishes in the crowd.

He doesn't know that they are still waiting for someone. Well, he doesn't actually know who are invited in the party. His mother does not let him have a peek of the guest list when he asked her about it this afternoon. No matter, she mentioned that this guest is the last one? Finally. He can't wait to lay down on his soft bed and sleep away all the tiredness he felt today.

He watches as the crowd of curious onlookers parted to give way for the Empress and the guest. Whispers start to float from the nobles but are too soft for him to understand a single word.

Now he is really curious. Who is this special guest for his mother, the Empress, to personally fetch from the entrance and provoke gossip from the nobles? She already mentioned that Princess Shirley isn't coming and she's the only one he can think of that his mother would fuss about like this unless…

Wait.

He fishes his phone from his pocket so fast making the Cheese-kun accessory shake wildly and dumbly looks at it. It can't be, right? She would tell him first thing in the morning if she would come. She would have called him to at least warn him about this plan. She would have – He shakes his head, a defeated smile dances on his lips. Of course she wouldn't.  _She_  wouldn't. We are talking about the Witch herself here. And what are witches good at doing? Deceiving. He can't believe that he fell for her trick again. He always falls for her tricks despite not seeing her for three years. Slightly chuckling, he stands up while fixing his coat and slowly makes his way to the middle of the room. Suddenly, he's not bored anymore. Suddenly, he's not tired.

He sees her trademark long flowing, emerald hair first followed by her smooth ivory skin. She is wearing a deep green gown with yellow braided linings that perfectly molds on her body. He hears her light teasing voice so clearly amidst the sea of whispers. And when she turns her head away from his mother who she has been talking to as they make their way, he finally sees her shining, golden eyes. A playful smirk, another trademark of hers, is on her lips.

"Lady C.C.," he greets her with all the nobility he can muster when they are a few feet away from each other. His head held high, his back straight.

"Lelouch," she casually replies which earns gasps from their audience.

"It's been a while since you've been here. Thank you for coming to this banquet."

"Three years to be exact," ah, she's already starting, "And I was invited by no other than Marianne," another gasp from the audience, this time more dramatically, "so who am I to turn it down? Now, where is the pizza that you promised in the invitation?" she asks as she looks around the room.

His right eye twitches. She hasn't even greeted him yet.

He glances at his mother who is trying to hold back her laughter, then back to Lady C.C. who is now looking at him with a mischievous glint on her eyes.

He lets out a sigh of defeat.

The Witch is back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

There are so many wrong things in the situation that make the scene look right. Like the Empress not informing Lelouch about Lady C.C. being invited to the party. Like everyone in the palace knowing that she will come except for him (the twins didn't even care to give him a hint and they were with him the whole day).

Or like C.C. turning into a beautiful lady since the last time Lelouch saw her, not that he's going to tell her, no no, he won't give her the upper hand. But he's a man afterall and he appreciates beautiful women, too, though, there are only a handful of women he considers beautiful.

But most importantly, he clearly remembers that there was no mention of that cheese-filled bread goodness called 'pizza' in the invitation. He is sure of it. He was the one who composed the words in the invitation so that it would be simple but pleasant. God knows what would be written there if he let Clovis handle that matter, too. So why did C.C. say that 'pizza' was mentioned there?

"Mother, what does C.C. mean when she said that there's 'pizza' in the invitation? I don't remember putting it there," he asks the Empress as he watches C.C. eats her 6th slice of the food from his throne.

He hears his mother let out a giggle from his side. She has been giggling so much since C.C. arrived. Well, at least she finds the situation amusing, while he, on the other hand is already planning strategies on how he wouldn't let the witch win against him. "I might've sent her a customized copy of the invitation with a picture of a smoking hot pizza."

"And why does no one care to tell me that she would be coming?"

"If we tell you, that would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it? And aren't you glad to see your childhood friend again? You haven't seen each other since she left to study abroad," a giggle, "Have you seen the faces of the nobles when she called me and you by only our name? I knew I won't regret inviting that child. Things just got more interesting here."

Oh, it really does turn more interesting now. The guests are curiously watching C.C. devour her eight? ninth? he actually lost track, slice of pizza. Some are amazed by how this slender girl eats slice after slice without getting her stomach big. Some are disgusted by how unladylike she is behaving with the amount of food she is eating. And some, mostly men, are looking at her in a way that irks the prince.

He stands up and decided that he had given her enough time to eat and now it's time for them to get acquainted again. Afterall, it's been three years.

People part for him as he makes his way to her table. Clearing his throat to get C.C.'s attention, he offers her one of his gloved hand.

The maiden stares at it, looks up and blinks at him blankly then stares at his hand again. "If you're thinking that I am going to give you pizza, you should think again, Lelouch," she says nonchalantly then proceeds to devour the slice she is holding.

Blushing from embarrassment for being misunderstood, Lelouch exclaims, "What?! I'm not asking for a slice of pizza. I'm asking you for a dance."

He watches as a slow triumphant smirk forms on her lips. He knows that smirk too well and he suddenly feels dreadful. "I know, Lelouch."

She knows? Then why does she say those words? What does she mean – oh, OH. He wants to slap himself upon realizing what she meant. Of course this is one of her classic tricks. She wanted him to ask her to dance verbally. To hear those exact words from him, and for him to be heard by the crowd. Because if he does (which he did) he, the Prince of Britannia, the next in line to the throne will look as if he wanted her attention. For it is a general knowledge that His Highness, Lelouch vi Britannia never asks other girls outside of his family to dance with him. Never.

"Are we going to dance, or you'll just keep on standing there which is also fine by me. I can get back to my table anyway," C.C. says.

Placing his hand behind him, he stands straighter and faces her who had managed to already pass by him.

"I'm just giving you a head start, C.C. As the saying goes, ladies first," but once she is out of sight, he mutters, "Witch."

* * *

 

From the other side of the room, two pairs of violet eyes curiously and fascinatedly watch the events that are unfolding before them.

"Brother and Lady C.C. are really close. Eventhough it's been a while, they easily picked up from where they left," the boy says.

"I'm glad she came. Lelouch looked like he's ready to leave a while ago. Remember when we were younger? They were inseparable back then. Lelouch was always there to look after Lady C.C. because he's so worried she might cause some trouble while Lady C.C. was always with brother to tease him. Hey, Rolo, why do you think Mother invited her today?" the girl asks.

Rolo tears his eyes off the middle of the room where the prince and the maiden is currently dancing and looks at his sister confusedly. "What do you mean, Nunnally? She's brother's bestfriend and is also a close friend of our family, of course she would be invited."

"Hmmm," Nunnally muses while tapping her finger on her chin. "I just have this feeling that it isn't the only reason. Say, Mother really wanted this party to be a way for brother to find his future wife, right?"

Rolo's eyes widen upon realizing what his twin meant and stare at her incredibly. "Y-You mean, she's a candidate for his hand? But… But," his forehead furrows as he thinks of something hard, "I think it would be so out of Lady C.C.'s character to agree to that. I mean, they're bestfriends, but not the typical bestfriends. And what about Princess Shirley? Isn't she the strongest candidate and Mother's favorite?"

"Well, I have a theory. Come closer."

The older boy leans closer to his sister, his eyes scanning his surroundings to make sure that no one is eavesdropping. They are talking about important matters, anyway. The future of the monarchy.

"I think Lady C.C. doesn't know, let's say, Mother's possible plan," Nunnally whispers. "That's what the pizza in the invitation for. To make sure that she will attend. To lure the prey to the trap. Have you read the invitation they sent to her?" Rolo shakes his head. "It says, 'We are going to serve the cheesiest, mouth-watering, thick-crust hot pizzas that will be baked through the collaboration of the best chefs in the country. These pizzas will come in different flavors such as pepperoni, four-cheese, all-meat and margherita. The chefs will also be available to grant your request for a customized pizza during the event.' " Nunnally lets out a small laugh. "How can Lady C.C. turn away from that? And I don't think that Mother favors Princess Shirley that much. She's just the most convenient because she's already a royalty. Do you remember how Mother always teases Lelouch that she wants Lady C.C. to be her daughter-in-law in the future when we were younger? Brother hated that," she ends with a light chuckle.

Rolo returns his gaze to the couple still dancing on the floor. He notices that despite the irritated look on his face, the way his older brother's eyes shine so lively while looking at his partner is clear evidence that he is truly happy. And Lady C.C. is also the same with the soft and serene smile plastered on her face.

"Nunnally, I think we need to do everything to make those two stay together."

"That's what I've been trying to say, Rolo." And she, too, stares at his brother and his bestfriend fondly.

* * *

 

Lelouch will not do it. Nope, no, never.

"Lelouch, it's just skin," C.C. says sternly.

"It's your skin."

This makes C.C.'s eyebrows rise. "Do you have a problem with my skin? Don't worry, boya, I bathed with milk and rose petals a while ago. I also lathered extra longer and before that I applied oil to – "

Lelouch covers her mouth so suddenly that she is taken by surprise. The prince is blushing furiously, too. Now, this is interesting.

"Stop, I don't need to know that," he hisses. "What I meant is that it's your skin, a girl's skin, and I just want to respect your… your…"

"My?" C.C. asks from behind his hand.

"You know what I mean. Don't make me say it."

She shakes her head. He's already regretting arguing with her because there's no winning for him.

Turning away, he says quietly. "I just want to respect your body."

He feels her hands slowly remove his from where it is covering her mouth and gently grab his face to make him look at her. In the most serious face he has ever seen her wear, she asks, "Lelouch… Are you gay?"

It takes a moment before her words sink in for he is too mesmerized by her golden eyes. But when they finally did, he lets out a gasp and almost trip when he steps away from her. "What?! NO!"

"Then stop making a fuss about this and place your hand on my back," C.C. says while rolling her eyes. "We won't be able to start dancing if you're standing five feet away from me and I want to get back to my pizza as soon as possible."

When the prince doesn't move from his place, C.C. walks towards him, grabs his left hand rather harshly and places it on her exposed back. "See? Easy-peasy. Now let's do that dance you've been desiring from me."

But Lelouch is too stunned to react. He is touching her back. He is touching her bare ivory back. For the first time. Despite wearing gloves, it still feels weird to be putting his hand on her skin like this. Why, oh why does she have to wear a dress with an open upper back exposing her skin for all the world to see. Doesn't she feel cold? Isn't she afraid that an insect could bite her? What if she dances with other men? Thinking about some men's hands other than him having contact with her skin makes his blood boil. Of course, she's his bestfriend, it's just natural to be protective of her. Right?

"Don't worry, I won't dance with anyone other than you tonight," she silently says.

He looks down at her and finds her smiling genuinely at him.

Ah, now this feels right. Now, he's with his bestfriend and not the witch. They start moving with the music. Their feet remembering all those dance lessons they took together when they were 13 and 11 years old. They dance for a while, enjoying the music and the comfortable silence between them.

"So, how's the Prince of Britannia been doing? Any angry jealous girlfriend I should look out for in this occasion?" C.C. asks teasingly.

Lelouch shakes his head. Why are the women in his life so keen on marrying him off? He's just been 21 for a few hours for God's sake. "None. End of discussion. For all I know, you might be the one who left a boyfriend abroad."

A frown appears on C.C.'s face. "I don't have time for that. I'm too busy at the university to spend time with that nonsense."

"Well, I guess we're on the same page, then. Anyway, care to tell me why you didn't warn me about this whole ordeal?"

"And ruin the fun? No thanks."

Lelouch sighs. "I should have been suspicious when I miss a text from you for a day. I let it go so easily."

"Don't believe him, Lady C.C. Brother glared at his phone for 15 minutes while waiting for your text earlier."

Surprised by the interruption, the pair turns around and sees the twins smiling at them.

"Rolo, Nunnally," C.C. gladly greets them.

"Lady C.C.!" The twins excitedly run to her and enclosed her in a tight hug. Eyes closed, a happy smile plays on the older girl's lips.

Lelouch steps back and watches the beautiful scene before him. His younger siblings are very close to her. Well, his whole family for that matter, but Rolo and Nunnally show a greater admiration and fondness of C.C. than any of his relative. They found something in her that they liked so much and now they are smitten. The witch must have casted a spell on them.

He notices a young man, a son of a duke? he can't remember, staring so hard at C.C.'s back so he loudly clears his throat to get the bastard's attention and glares at him.

"We miss you, Lady C.C.!"

"I miss you, too, my favorite children."

"Lady C.C., we're not children anymore. We're 15 now!" Nunnally laughs.

C.C. touches her chest and sighs apologetically. "Oh, is that so? I'm so sorry then. Looks like there is only one child left in the family," she says while looking at him mischievously.

That witch.

"Now, why don't you tell me more about Lelouch heartbreakingly glaring at his phone while waiting for my text. I hope he didn't cry."

The prince decided that it's time to join the conversation before his ego be flattened on the ground. "I was not heartbroken and I did not cry."

Both of the twins giggle. "Well, Rolo and I are going to leave so you can get back to dancing. We hope to talk to you again, Lady C.C."

"Oh, do not worry, we'll have so much time to talk and play. And Lelouch and I will go eat pizza now. Right, Prince?"

"Yeah, whatever."

After the twins leave, Lelouch asks C.C. one thing that he should have asked first. "How long are you going to stay here?"

"Oh, haven't I told you?"

He waits for her answer.

She stares.

And he waits.

And stares.

And waits.

And stares.

"C.C…"

A triumphant smile makes its way on her lips. "I'll be staying here for as long as I wanted to. That's the Emperor and Empress's decision."


	3. Chapter 3

Everything is burning into ashes.

The Aries Villa, once a place of serenity and refuge with its tranquil garden and soft sun rays, is now a land of fire and broken memories. Smoke is rising from the ground, blinding and suffocating whoever braves to enter the now replica of Hell.

_How did it come to this?_

Lelouch vi Britannia runs away from a falling burning tree, his eyes searching the red expansion of the garden for any sign of life.

"Mother! Nunnally! Rolo! C.C.! Where are you?" Lelouch desperately shouts. He then coughs so badly, his throat turning raw. Bending down, he puts his hands on his knees and tries to catch his breath.

"Please, someone… someone answer me."

_How did it come to this?_

Just not an hour ago, they were happily having a dusk picnic at the garden when all of a sudden, a meteor shower appeared on the sky. He remembers being mesmerized and fascinated by seeing an actual meteor shower with his own naked eyes. It had felt so surreal, watching it with the most important people in his life.

But the next thing he knew, these rocks that they had been admiring just seconds ago were falling on them, without any warning, without giving them time to evacuate.

And now… and now he couldn't find them.

"Mother! Where are you?" he shouts again. Then he hears a booming sound coming towards him and when he turns around, a large meteor is coming to his direction. Fast. Unstoppable.

And it's here, it's here, he won't be able to escape and…

_Ow!_

A heavy object suddenly hits Lelouch on his face waking up the prince. Opening his eyes, darkness greets him. He grabs the object that has been blocking his sight and sits up, his heart still beating fast from that strange dream (or nightmare?) of his while his face is stinging from being hit by whatever object that landed on him. Turning on his bedside light, he's surprised to find that the object that hit him is an arm. An arm that is attached to a body. And a body that belongs to…

"C.C.!" he hisses.

But the girl remains sound asleep.

"C.C. wake up! C.C.!"

The girl just grunts in return.

Lelouch grabs her shoulder and shakes her gently. C.C. on the other hand, swats his hand away and turns away from him. "Lelouch if you don't want to sleep, let other people sleep," he hears her say sleepily.

"What are you doing here? When did you come to my room?"

"I'll just answer them tomorrow. Now, let me sleep."

"How can I let you sleep, when your wild sleeping habits just kept me from mine? You need to go back to your room. Now," he says in an authoritative tone.

No response.

Is he hearing a soft snore? Yes, yes, he does.

Sighing, he looks out the window and finds that it's still deep into the midnight. Checking the clock, it flashes 12:45 AM.

He retired to his room at around 11:30 PM, tired from reading some political books in the library, which means he's just asleep for more than an hour. And within that hour, C.C. silently entered his room and decided to sleep on his bed.

Giving up, he concludes that it's pointless trying to wake up the witch. She's been a heavy sleeper ever since they were kids with a habit of moving around the bed which, unfortunately, sometimes affected his dreams. Just like tonight. He remembers waking up with a bruise one time because C.C. had been pinching his arm while dreaming. Looks like that hasn't change, huh.

So Lelouch vi Britannia goes to the farthest side of his bed, away from the sleeping beau – no, witch, to have a peaceful sleep and also to protect himself from further injury.

* * *

 

He wakes up alone in his bed.

He could have believed that last night was just a dream if not for the messy side of his bed left unattended – sheets crumpled and pillows thrown everywhere.

After washing up and changing from his pajamas, the prince goes to the dining hall to join the rest of his family for breakfast. Everyone is already there including C.C. who is sitting beside his Mother.

"Good morning, everyone," he greets them as he takes his place beside Nunnally.

"Good morning, son."

"Good morning, my dear son."

"Good morning, Lelouch!"

"Good morning, brother!"

All greets him back enthusiastically except for C.C. who is busy munching on her slice of pizza. She curiously looks at him when she feels his eyes on her. "Monning, Leloush," she says with her mouth full.

"Morning, C.C. It's not okay to eat junk food this early in the morning, you know."

The lady just waves him off and continues to eat.

"Lelouch, we have some news for you." This time everyone stops eating and pays attention to the powerful voice of the Emperor.

"Yes, Father?"

"We all know that Princess Shirley wasn't able to attend the celebration of your birthday last week due to some unforeseen circumstances. The Fenette Kingdom sent a message last night that she will be going here to personally deliver her gift for you."

The prince furrows his eyebrows, slightly confused by the announcement. "I think that is not necessary, Father. She doesn't have to bother herself with such simple thing. I'll send them a message – "

"Looks like the princess herself insisted on this," Empress Marianne butts in.

"Oh."

From the other side of the table, the twins look at each other.

"And," the Emperor continues in a more serious tone, "We should be giving her the warmest welcome. There is nothing confirmed but there have been talks about the Fenette Kingdom planning to expand the areas under them, and to wage war to any kingdom or empire that will refuse. These are still rumors amongst the kingdoms and empires but the war has just ended and we want to keep the peace for as long as possible."

"Does it mean that we are going to submit to them if ever those rumors come true just to preserve the peace?" Rolo worriedly asks.

"No, son. We are going to fight for our country if it comes to that. We are just taking precautionary measures to keep the harmony between the monarchies. I already ordered our intelligence division to do its best to gather enough information about the veracity of the rumors. On the other hand, our military is always ready, well-trained and well-equipped for any insurgence or war that may occur." The Emperor looks at his children kindly. "I'm just asking you to be more hospitable to the princess and it wouldn't be too difficult to ask of you since you're all good friends with her, right?"

His children nod at the same time. "Yes, Father."

In the tensed conversation, a light voice from an outsider chimes in. "So," C.C. starts while casually stirring her tea. "When will this Princess Shirley arrive so I can finally meet her?"

"Oh," Empress Marianne exclaims, trying to break the solemn atmosphere in the dining hall. "She will be arriving this afternoon."

"This afternoon?!" everyone gasp except for the Emperor who is the one to know the information first and C.C. who is eating her 4th slice of pizza.

* * *

 

It rains that afternoon. Not just a drizzle, but a heavy, stormy rain with thunder and lightning. Leaves are violently swaying along the strong wind, clouds are thick and dull. A pair of emerald eyes watches from a car window the blur of gray and droplets outside as the vehicle makes its way to the palace.

_This rain won't stop me from finally seeing him,_  the owner of the green eyes thought. She, Shirley Fenette, holds tightly on the yellow box resting on her lap as if it's the most precious treasure in the world.  _I hope he'll like this_ , she thought with a hopeful smile on her face.

Two weeks ago, when her father told her that she wouldn't be able to come to the prince's 21st birthday she was awfully and painfully heartbroken. She had been looking forward to it ever since she received an invitation a month before. She had thoughtfully chose the present she would give. But the King made her attend a meeting with the Chinese Federation wherein she met the young Empress Tianzi to forge a stronger bond with them. The King has been so busy lately, holding meeting after meeting that sometimes coincides with each other so he would send a representative to attend the other in place of him. And sometimes that representative is her. Because she is a smart young woman, her father always tells her.

So to make up with the princess, the King allowed her to personally deliver her gift to Prince Lelouch or 'Lulu' as she calls him and to even stay with him for five days.  _Five days._  She can't help but let out a happy sigh. So much can happen within five days. They can watch movies together, or have walks in the park, or eat out together or… wait, those can be called, 'dates', right? They can go out on a lot of 'dates' within those five days. The princess blushes at the thought.

"Your Highness, we've arrived," her Knight, Kallen Stadtfield, announces from the front seat.

She looks outside and finds that they've already stopped infront of a wide set of marble stairs with a large wooden door waiting at the top. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice that they're already here. She's suddenly very nervous.

The driver opens the door for her and when she slowly steps out of the car, looks up from the ground, her emerald eyes immediately seeks for the amethyst ones. And she isn't disappointed for four pairs of purple eyes are welcoming her.

"Announcing the arrival of Princess Shirley Joseph Fenette, sole princess and heir to the throne of the Fenette Kingdom," Kallen declares.

Carefully taking the steps so as not to accidentally slip and fall infront of her audience, Shirley slowly makes her way up.

Upon reaching the top, Emperor Charles steps forward and formally welcomes her to the Britannian Palace. "Good day, Princess Shirley. We're glad to have you back here. We hope that you'll enjoy your stay in the palace."

"Thank you, Emperor Charles. I apologize for the very short notice. I'm afraid I don't have any excuse for that," the princess says shyly.

"Oh, do not worry, dear," Empress Marianne assures. "We've already prepared a room for you and the children are so excited to see you."

Upon the mention of her children, Shirley glances at the three figures behind the emperor and the empress. She waves to the younger ones as a greeting to them. However, her heart skips a beat upon finding the one she's been intending to see. Oh, God he looks so handsome.

"Hello, Princess Shirley. It's nice to see you again."

"H-Hi, Lulu! I'm so sorry I wasn't able to attend your celebration. Oh, OH! Belated h-happy birthday! Here's my gift to you. I hope you'll like it." She clumsily holds out the yellow box to the prince.  _That was so embarrassing!_ she thought.  _How can she babble and stutter like that infront of him?_

The Prince accepts her gift and carefully opens the box. A look of surprise appears on his face that turns into an appreciative smile upon seeing what's inside the box.

"Wow, it's another chess set!" Nunnally utters as she claps then glances knowingly at her twin.

Shirley smiles at the younger princess and watches nervously as her Lulu inspects each piece. The Prince is an expert and brilliant chess player, known for his outstanding skills in strategy-making, so she made sure of it that she would give him the best chess set, made from the finest wood, sculpted by the most skilled sculptor. She watches as his beautiful amethyst eyes critically skim the edges of the Black King, as his slender long fingers caress the smooth and shiny wood – so serious, so meticulous, so intimidating. The princess is swooning.

The sound of the box closing snaps her out of her swooning and returns her to her nervous state before.

"This is really well-made, Princess. Thank you very much. I can't wait to use it when Schneizel and I have a match again."

Shirley sighs in relief and a giddy feeling from being complimented blossoms in her chest.  _He likes it, oh he likes her gift_. This is such a very good start of her stay. "You're welcome, Lulu."

"Well, why don't we all come in so the princess can rest for a while after her travel? Rivalz, assist them on carrying their things. Come, Princess Shirley, I'll show you to your room. We also prepared a hearty dinner tonight with your favorite foods and…" And with that, Empress Marianne steals the princess away from them.

* * *

 

From a window on the second floor of the palace, two stoic golden orbs quietly observe the happenings beneath them. The glass roof of the receiving shed gives a clear view of the royal family receiving a lady with long orange-hair and a slightly tall height. She carries a yellow box so mindfully as if it contains her most precious belonging. A red haired lady, who seems to be her personal guard, stands a little behind her looking alert and vigilant. The golden orbs watch as the ginger girl gives to the prince the box. Moving closer to the window, they see that it contains a chess set and the prince is now thoroughly inspecting it. A chess set, huh.  _A chess set, too._

The girl has a dreamy look in her eyes. Ah, she's infatuated with the prince. Everyone around her can perfectly see despite her trying to hide her feelings. Poor girl, looks like only the prince cannot see it.

So this is the Princess Shirley they've been talking about. She's pretty in that country-noble way –approachable, kind and cheerful.

And is helplessly inlove with the prince.

The owner of the golden eyes smiles. Looks like her stay here will be more interesting now. At least, this will take her mind off from the problem that she left abroad and hopefully, she's hoping so badly, that won't follow her to her original home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_"Stop! Please stop!"_

_She can feel the warm scarlet liquid flows out of her chest as the sharp tip of the knife continues to carve an unknown shape beneath her breast._

_"This is what bad girls like you deserve! This is what you get for lying to me, C.C.! Lying is bad, bad, bad. You've been a very bad girl C.C. so you need to be punished." A maniacal laugh escapes from him as maniacal and as ruthless as his pair of purple eyes._

_C.C. tries to breathe for air but every breath she takes bring unbearable pain to her chest. "I… I didn't l-lie to y-you."_

_"You did! You did you did you did! So now I'm going to make you feel how painful I felt when I knew the truth."_

_He raises the knife and all C.C. could do is watch and shout as it plunges into her chest._

"MAO!"

C.C. wakes up from the nightmare, heart racing, sweat dropping, tears falling.

She desperately and restlessly gasps for air as she immediately touches her chest to make sure that there's no knife hanging from her flesh. She checks her nightgown for any sign of blood. Nothing. She looks around her dark surroundings searching for any intruders. Empty. She gets up and gets a glass of water from the pitcher she readily prepared the night before for situations like this. Because this has been the situation every night ever since that happened.

She tries to calm her heart. Just a nightmare. She is safe here. She is far away from him. She is safe, she is safe, she is safe. She longs for the comfort Cheese-kun can give her but she left him in her apartment overseas, torn into pieces. She closes her eyes to stop another onslaught of pain that is coming to her heart.  _Oh, Cheese-kun._

There's no way she can sleep well tonight. The nightmare is still lurking at the edges of her brain and she's afraid that when she closes her eyes, she's going to see him again.

So she decides to do the next best thing that can take away her fear. Leaving her room, she walks quietly along the hallway so as not to disturb anyone who is already sleeping and enters the room she has found herself spending the night lately because of her nightmare.

_Ah, he's already asleep._

Slowly and silently, she lifts the blanket, smiles when she sees him wearing the Cheese-kun pajama she sent him as a birthday gift two years ago, and lays down beside his sleeping form. She closes her eyes and wills herself to sleep.

But she can't. The nightmare is still so fresh and vivid. She can still feel the phantom pain of the tip of the knife as it ran over her skin, the feeling of her skin peeling and opening revealing her flesh. Of the blood flow escaping her body as she worried about herself dying faster of severe blood loss than the actual stabbing. She can still clearly remember his merciless eyes crazily celebrating the morbid scene infront of them. She can vividly remember the smell of death.

C.C. tightly closes her eyes willing the fear to go away but a movement beside her interrupts her concentration.

"C.C. you have your own room to sleep in," she hears him sleepily say.

"Ssshh, I'm trying to sleep."

Silence, then...

"C.C. is there something wrong?"

Opening her eyes, she finds him looking at her worriedly. Ah, she forgot how attuned they are with each other's moods ever since they were little. Something in her voice must have given her away.

"Just can't sleep," she mutters.

"A nightmare?"

"Something like that. You worried about me, Lelouch?" she teases, trying to muster some of her usual attitude.

Lelouch frowns and studies her silently. "Of course, I am. Did something happen while you're away?"

She looks away to hide every sign that may reveal that she is keeping something from him. He doesn't know what happened. She never told him about that terrible event that almost cost her her life. Only Charles and Marianne know. And she wants to keep it that way.

"Nothing... Can you tell me a story so I can fall asleep?"

"Oh, I don't know. You are already occupying more than half of my bed, you woke me up in the middle of the night…"

"I didn't."

"… and now you want me to tell you a story so you can sleep. Oh well, I don't need sleep anyway, right? Why didn't you bring Cheese-kun? He helps you sleep at night," Lelouch rattles helplessly.

"I left him in my apartment," C.C. answers simply.

Lelouch stares at her incredulously. "You're kidding."

She stares back seriously. "Am not."

"You are."

"Am not."

"You are."

"Lelouch. I. DO. NOT. JOKE. When it comes to Cheese-kun."

The prince nods numbly. "Exactly, yes… Wow, okay, this is unbelievable. You and Cheese-kun in two different countries. Give me time to digest this."

Impatient with the childish behavior of the prince, C.C. kicks his leg.

"Hey! What was that for?" He rubs his right leg while C.C. rolls her eyes because she didn't even kick him that hard.

"My story, Lelouch."

"Fine, fine, demanding witch," the prince mutters. "Well, let's see."

C.C. snuggles on his side trying to find the most comfortable position while listening to his story. This is another one of their things - Lelouch telling her a story whenever she finds it hard to sleep. There is something in his voice at night that lulls her to sleep.

Ah, maybe that's it - the magic of the night when everything turns soft, sharp edges are unsharpened, proper postures bend, the bright sunlight becomes the shy moonlight and hard voices turn gentle. And at night, their bickering is lesser than the day. At night they are just Lelouch and C.C. not the prince and the witch. She misses this solace especially lately when the nightmare claimed a permanent residence at the back of her head.

"Remember the first day we met?"

She nods.

"I knew right then and there that you'll be too much to handle."

"And you're already a sore loser at the age of nine."

"I wonder who's to blame for that."

C.C. lets out a giggle. Already, she's feeling better.

* * *

 

_Twelve years ago_

_It was a sunny Friday and the young prince, his younger siblings and a young Suzaku Kururugi were playing happily at the Aries Villa when the Emperor and the Empress called their attention._

_Running to where their parents were standing, the children delightedly greeted them for they had been gone for a week to attend some adult affairs that the young royalties were not allowed to go._

_"Father, Mother, we miss you!" the twins exclaimed as they gave their parents tight hugs._

_"We miss you, too! How have you been, my dears!" the empress asked._

_The young Lelouch answered feeling proud for being a responsible older brother while their parents were away. "We stayed on our schedules, eat during breakfast, lunch and dinner, have healthy snacks in between, take a nap in the afternoon, read books in the library and go to bed on time!"_

_The Empress claps her hands, thoroughly impressed by the diligence of her son. "Ohohoho, that's really good to hear, Lelouch. Thank you for being a very responsible older brother and taking care of your siblings while father and mother are away."_

_This made the prince beamed so brightly._

_"But where did you go?" Rolo asked._

_The adults looked at each other before the emperor bent down to the level of his children and talked to them seriously. "We went to do a very important matter. And children, this will also affect you."_

_The children stared at him, confused._

_Their father stood up and told them, "We would like you to meet Cera Corabelle." He stepped aside revealing a young girl, seven years of age, with emerald hair that reached above her shoulders, impassive golden eyes and skin of ivory that almost looked porcelain. "She is the only daughter of our very good friends who died in a car accident last week."_

_The twin gasped and were already at the verge of crying. "She doesn't have mama and papa anymore?" Nunnally asked in a small voice._

_Their mother solemnly shook her head and gathered the children to her side. "That is why we decided to take her in our care. From now on, she will be living with us. She will have her own room, she will be eating with us everyday, and she will be also going to school with you."_

_"Like a new older sister?" asked Rolo._

_"If you'd like to. Now, why don't you introduce yourselves to her."_

_While the twins and Suzaku were introducing themselves to the newcomer, Lelouch studied the girl infront of him. Like a new younger sister? Strangely, he found it hard to imagine. He found her unexpressive and bored golden eyes a little bit irritating, like she didn't care about anything that's happening around her, yet he was fascinated and amazed by her natural green hair. He wondered what it would feel like if he touched it. Would it feel the same as touching grass?_

_For him, Nunnally would only be the best younger sister out there. Maybe, this girl could be his friend. His bestfriend even like Suzaku if she proved herself worthy._

_When everyone was done, he stepped forward and offered her his hand. "Hello, my name is Lelouch vi Britannia. I am nine years old. It's nice to meet you, Cera."_

_The girl shook his hand while saying, "C.C…. I prefer to be called C.C."_

_Surprised by her blunt attitude (didn't she know she's talking to a prince?), the prince could only mutter, "O-Oh, hi, C.C."_

_He heard the twins giggle behind him._

_C.C. was already looking around as if she's trying to find something. "What is it C.C.?" the emperor asked._

_"Charles…" This made Lelouch furrow his eyebrows. Why was she calling his father by his name? He was the emperor, the most powerful man in the country. She should be addressing him properly. "Where is the first prince that you've been talking about?" he heard her inquired._

_"That's Lelouch, dear."_

_At this, C.C. stared at him and tilted her head as if trying to figure out something. Her stoic eyes looked at him from head to toe making the prince uncomfortable. "But…"_

_"But?" the emperor prompted._

_C.C. turned to the emperor while she gestured to the prince. "But Charles, she is a girl."_

* * *

 

C.C. laughs at the memory, making the bed shake.

"It's because of that stupid haircut," Lelouch says grudgingly.

"Or you just really had feminine features back then,  _little princess_. In fact, you still have."

"I do not. Stop messing with me, C.C."

But of course, the witch doesn't stop. "Remember in high school when you were the school's heartthrob and every girl, except for me of course, and some boys have a crush on you, but you were actually more beautiful than those girls?"

"I feel like that's not a compliment. Why are we even talking about this?" Lelouch irritably commented.

"And you would always hide behind me by making me pretend that I was your girlfriend throughout high school. Fun times."

"Of course, it's fun for you. You made the most out of that situation," the prince holds up his hand and starts counting, "Making me buy you pizza after class, making me walk you to your class eventhough I would be late to my own, making me the vice president of your Pizza Club, I still can't believe that they let you establish that club. And making me wait for you when you got hold up by one of your classes, or do some of your school projects or…"

Her soft breathing against his neck distracts him from enumerating. Is he hearing a soft snore? Yes, yes he is.

He glances down at the serene face of C.C. as she finally falls asleep.

Sighing, he looks up at the dark ceiling and softly asks, "Hey, C.C. what made you feel so afraid?"

* * *

 

The loud knocking on the door wakes Lelouch up from his deep slumber. He turns to his clock and finds that it's still 30 minutes before his alarm goes off. Sitting up, he also notices that C.C. is still on his bed hogging all the blanket to herself. Huh, that's why he felt so cold. Sleepily trudging to the door, he doesn't care to change from his pajama because everyone in the palace have seen him wear it, even the servants.

So he is very much alarmed to find none other than Princess Shirley at the other side of the door because one, he is wearing his Cheese-kun pajama which was printed with hundreds of Cheese-kuns all over and two, C.C. is still on his bed. C.C. IS STILL ON HIS BED. He can easily imagine the confusion and misunderstanding it will cause if the princess finds out about it. He is already feeling the beginning of a headache.

"Good morning, Lulu! I-I'm sorry, did I wake you up too early? I-I just thought that we can go to the dining hall together. T-That's a really cute pajama! Who is that character?" Princess Shirley asks in an odd loud voice.  _She is too cheery for such an early morning_ , the prince thought.

Lelouch tries to calm the nervous and blushing princess. "It's okay," he assures while yawning. "It's almost time for me to wake up any – "

"Lelouch don't be so loud."

He freezes upon hearing another voice coming from his room making him stare at the princess with wide eyes.

"Lulu? Is there another person inside your room?" the princess inquires innocently while trying to take a peek behind him.

Lelouch immediately shuts the door behind him rather too forcefully than normal and answers the lady. "W-What? No. I'm alone."

Suddenly there are consecutive bangings on the door.

_Damn it, C.C._

"Are you sure? It seems that there is someone in there."

Now, C.C. is trying to turn the knob.  _Shit, the door can only be locked from the inside. He cannot let go of the knob until the princess leaves. Think, Lelouch, think._

"Princess Shirley, why don't you go ahead? I need to change to more appropriate clothes first," he explains kindly.

The face of the princess visibly falls. "But… But… I was hoping…"

Another kick on the door. He can hear another "Lelouch!" from the other side. Thank God for thick wooden doors.

"… that we can go together. I-I even woke up early… oh, I'm sorry for imposing on you. I-I'll go ahead and wait for you at the table."

Now, he feels bad for the princess who is now blushing really badly, so without thinking twice he tells her, "How about this, we can go out and explore the town after breakfast."

"R-Really? Oh, s-sure. That would be nice."

And with that, the princess, with a big smile on her face, finally leaves and Lelouch heaves a deep sigh.

As soon as he lets go of the knob, the door behind him opens. "Almost got caught by your girlfriend, ' _Lulu_ '?"

Lelouch glares at C.C. "You did that on purpose."

The witch only giggles and goes back to her room calmly as if she didn't cause any panic to the prince during the early hours of the day.

* * *

 

Breakfast at the Britannian Palace is a whole lot different from the breakfast at the Fenette Kingdom, Shirley observes.

At her home, breakfast are spent in almost unbearable silence among the King, the Queen and the Princess lately. Not because there's a hidden resentment between them but the King only talks about his political meetings and agreements that her mother didn't find anywhere interesting and the Princess is barely familiar with.

But here, at the Britannian residence, breakfast is spent with casual talks, friendly teasings from the siblings and bright smiles. She can clearly feel that this family truly adore each other. She wants to have this too in the future.

She secretly glances at the prince who is busy indulging his younger sister.  _Maybe with him,_  she thought.

She moves to check her phone to see if her parents have texted her but her phone isn't in her pocket.

Oh, she left it at her room!

Politely excusing herself and rejecting Kallen's offer of getting it for her, she returns to her room to retrieve her phone. She also needs the alone time to think of what to wear for their 'date' later anyway.

* * *

 

"Rivalz, are you still alive in there?"

The servant turns around from where he is carrying piles of bedsheets that almost reach the ceiling to respond to the lady who, out-of-nowhere, appears behind him making him almost drop the sheets.

"Lady C.C.! Good morning! Yes, yes, I'm still alive here," he answers while groaning.

C.C. looks up and down the tower of sheets then to the red face of the servant who is obviously dying from the heavy load. "Give me some."

"Huh?" the servant utters dumbly.

"I said give me some of those sheets. I'm not busy anyway."

"I can't do that, my lady! And aren't you headed to the dining area. I can't make you late for breakfast."

The girl waves him off. "It's alright. I won't forgive myself if you died from that knowing I could've helped you."

"But Princess Shirley is - "

"I can always meet the princess later."

"The prince would sco - "

Annoyed, she voluntarily takes some layers from the servant and starts walking to the laundry hall leaving Rivalz speechless.

She is turning at a corner when she almost bump to someone who is coming her way.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there," the other person says.

C.C. tilts her head sideways and peeks beyond the sheets. "It's fine."

Oh, look who we have here. The princess herself.

"Oh, are you changing sheets?"  _Changing sheets?_ "Would you please change mine also? I got a bit itchy last night. I think the type of cloth irritates my skin," the princess says.

What is she talking about? Why is she - oh.  _Oh_.

C.C. smiles politely as realization dawns on her. Mustering up all the manners she has, she courteously replies, "Yes, Your Highness. I'll be there in a minute."

"Thank you."

After putting the bedsheets in the laundry hall, getting new ones from the closet and asking Rivalz where the princess' room is, C.C. reaches it and starts changing the sheets with the one she brought.

"Oh, you're here. What do you think of this dress?"

C.C. turns around and finds the princess coming out of the dressing room wearing a blue chiffon off shoulder dress that reaches above her knees.

She looks pretty in that style, but it's not her color. C.C. tells the princess this and the latter quickly changes while she also resumes changing sheets.

Ah, good thing she's used to doing this since she lives alone abroad and does all the chores. This bed is quite big. Even bigger than the one in her room.

"How about this?"

This time, Princess Shirley is wearing a green tube dress with flaring skirt that just reached her mid-thigh. C.C. frowns at her observation.

"I think that is too revealing, Your Highness," she says.

"You think so? But I want the prince to look at me," the princess replies while pouting.

The prince... Hmmm...

"The prince? Pardon my intrusion but what occassion is the dress for? Perhaps we can easily find something if we know the theme."

"Uhmm... you see, Lulu and I are going around town later like... like a date!"

A date? But Lelouch does not go on dates. This is interesting.

"Well, if it's me, I would wear something I'm comfortable with and not something that will look like I'm trying to be someone else or I'm trying to please someone. I wouldn't want to spend the date worrying about how short my dress is especially if the date is with someone I really like," C.C. muses.

The princess nods solemnly. "Right. Thank you."

C.C. gives her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry too much, Your Highness. The princess is already too pretty."

At this, the other lady blushes. "T-Thanks. And you're quite pretty too for a servant." Her eyes widen afraid that she might have said something offensive. "I-I mean, you're pretty eventhough you're a servant. Of course, servants can be pretty and handsome too, right? What I want to say is you're really pretty like a princess."

"Hmmm?"

"Anyway! I guess I'll change now and return to the dining hall. I'm just really here to get my phone. Thank you again!" says the princess.

C.C. bows. "My pleasure, Your Highness."

* * *

 

Lelouch's fingers cannot stop tapping the table while he mindlessly listens to the conversations around him.  _Where is she?_  Breakfast is almost done. He thought she left earlier than him to go here but where is she?

Princess Shirley has even returned from getting her phone from her room though she also disappeared quite some time.

Yet, she's still not here.

Lelouch sighs. Why is he even worried about this? He means, he was  _okay_  when they haven't seen each other for three years except for some occassional video calls and photos they sent each other, or the daily text messages. He was  _okay_  with those.

Fine, maybe not... a little. Maybe, he was a little bit frustrated by the great distance between them, but it's normal, right? When someone who was always by your side for almost all your life suddenly became oceans and continents away from you, you can't help but be worried, right? Especially during that month last year when she had lost her phone and laptop and there was zero communication between them. He almost got insane.

But now... Now, that they are living together again, why doesn't he want to lose sight of her even just for a moment? Why does it bother him? Why, why, why...

Ah, of course.  _Of course._  Because just like before, he needs to make sure that she isn't causing any trouble anywhere. Old habits die hard just like what they said.

Satisfied by his way of thinking, Lelouch relaxes on his seat and is about to take a sip of his coffee when Suzaku speaks what's on his mind.

"By the way, where is C.C.? I was hoping to finally talk to her again this morning."

And of course, if Suzaku is Lelouch's best friend and Lelouch is C.C.'s best friend, C.C. and Suzaku are also best of friends.

"Perhaps, she slept in?" Rolo speculates.

"Definitely not," Lelouch mumbles.

"Lady C.C. is big brother's best friend, oh and Suzaku's, too. But she's also a very good friend of our family. She's staying with us for now," Nunnally explains to Princess Shirley.

"Oh, that is nice. I hope to meet her. So... Will she be joining us here?" asks the princess.

Suzaku laughs good-naturedly. "If she makes it on time. Looks like C.C. is being C.C. this early morning, right, Lelouch?"

"Right," the prince says thinking about all the troubles she had caused him a while ago. He removes the napkin from his collar and stands up. "I'll just go fetch her. Excuse me."

"Brother, please don't be cruel to her!" he hears Nunnally jokingly shouts as he exits the hall.

* * *

 

She is not in her room.

She is not in  _his_  room, too.

He went to the next place he can think of where she can be easily found but she's not in the kitchen requesting for a customized pizza, too.

Where can the Witch be?

He is on his way to the Reading Room when he sees Rivalz.

"Your Highness!" the servant greets.

"Hello, Rivalz. By any chance, have you seen Lady C.C.?" Lelouch asks.

"Yes, Your Highness. She was at the laundry hall earlier."

 _Laundry hall?_  But why? "Why was she there?"

The servant's attentive posture suddenly slightly bends, his eyes avoiding the prince's. "Uhmmm... well, Your Highness, she saw me carrying a lot of bedsheets so she helped me carry them to the laundry hall."

Lelouch closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He soaks in the temporary silence and the solace it brings. This is one of those moments that he wants to take in very slowly and dearly. When the witch is showing her true bright colors to others without her realizing it. When her kindness rarely appears and affects others.

These are just precious moments.

"So please don't be angry at her for being late, Your Highness, " Rivalz nervously pleads.

Opening his eyes, the prince frowns. First was Nunnally, and now Rivalz. Does he really appear cruel to C.C. infront of other people when he is the one who feels tortured when he's dealing with her?

"I am not. But tell me, when was she in the laundry hall?"

"I think it's already been 15 minutes ago."

Fifteen minutes ago? Well, she should have been with them then.

"But, she did ask me where Princess Shirley's room is."

"The princess' room? Why?"

The other boy shakes his head. "She didn't mention the reason."

Lelouch nods and dismisses the boy. "Well then, thank you, Rivalz."

"You're welcome, Your Highness."

* * *

 

And there she is.

At the princess' room doing...  _Is she changing the bedsheets?_  Lelouch squints from where he is standing by the open door to understand what the green-haired lady is doing.

"Stop ogling me, Lelouch."

"I am not. What are you doing?"

"Changing the bedsheets. Looks like the sheet that was used last night irritated the princess' skin."

"Why are  _you_  doing that? We have servants assigned to do chores. You're late for breakfast."

C.C. smoothens the bed and gives it a final pat before finally facing Lelouch. "How is it?" she asks pointing at her work.

The prince inspects the smooth surface of the bed - free of creases and spotless, and is surprisingly impressed. He nods and says, "Not bad," then catching himself, immediately shakes his head, "You did not answer my question. Why are you the one changing the sheets?"

The lady passes by him and leaves the room and Lelouch automatically follows and walks side-by-side with her.

"Well, it was a little innocent misunderstanding. I was helping Rivalz carry some bed sheets and I almost bump to the princess and she thought I was one of the servants."

"Why didn't you tell her you're not?"

"I don't want to embarass her, Lelouch," she says while pointedly looking at him.

"C.C... Cera..." the prince sighs, "I appreciate you considering her feelings but didn't you think that you'll be meeting her some time, in fact, a few minutes from now, and she'll still feel embarassed about it, especially now that we have my family as audience?"

"...oh."

Lelouch groans and puts his hand on his forehead. "It's alright, it's alright. We're the only ones who know. Just behave yourself, okay?"

But C.C. is already walking ahead of him when she responds, "Yes, Your Highness."

* * *

 

Suzaku loves eating with the Britannias. There's never a dull moment between the Emperor's loud voice, the Empress' strange antics, the twins enthusiasm, and Lelouch's always helpless face.

At first, he was worried that everything will change once he was knighted but he was wrong. The royal family, especially Lelouch, didn't change their treatment to him - like he is a part of the family. And now, he is more excited for one of his longtime friends is finally back.

C.C. has always amused him with her willfulness and stubbornness that often frustrates Lelouch. They may have a different kind of relationship from her with Lelouch, but they are still best friends just minus the sleeping in one room at night and the relentless teasing back when they were children.

Suzaku and C.C.'s friendship is more on the... he would say, platonic and normal side. They agree on a lot of things, laugh at almost the same jokes, and are more carefree than the prince.

They're the ones who enjoyed and went on adventures more while the prince stood in the sidelines, worrying about them.

Despite their age difference, the trio had gotten along so well. They treated each other equally, and nobility was not a hindrance in their strong friendship.

So he was really disappointed when he didn't find the time to talk to her this past week because of the increased number of his trainings and meetings now that he is a knight.

But from what Lelouch has told him about her, looks like C.C. didn't change a bit.

Footsteps echo in the hall and when Suzaku looks up, his best friends are standing at the end of the table. He can't help but smile wide, stands up and goes to the pair.

"C.C.! We finally meet again!" he says enclosing the girl in a tight hug.

"Suzaku, it's been a while," he hears her say while patting his back.

Lelouch clears his throat and the two separate from each other. Holding her on her shoulders, Suzaku studies C.C. and decides that she looks prettier and more enchanting than ever. No wonder his other best friend sounds so possessive whenever he tells him things about her lately.

He glances at the prince and smiles knowingly while Lelouch stares at him, confused.  _Ah, typical Lelouch._

From behind them, they hear a soft gasp. The three heads turn and find Princess Shirley standing, red-faced and flustered.

"You're... You're C.C.?" she asks with wide eyes.

"I am," C.C. answers.

"So you are not... y-you are not..."

Suzaku hears Lelouch sigh heavily. He turns back to the two and wonders what they have gotten themselves into.

This is so familiar. This brings so much memories and adventures back. This is nostalgic.

Ah, it feels nice to have the unholy trinity again, Suzaku thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Shirley can't help but steal glances at the prince and the green-haired lady beside him. C.C., she is called C.C. and she is Lulu's best friend and not a servant in the palace. She shakes her head upon remembering the embarrassing encounter. Why didn't she tell her that she was not? She must have looked foolish infront of her. And she even asked her about what she would wear to her and Lulu's date. 'DATE'! She had told C.C. that she is having a date with her best friend!

The princess wants to be buried under the table right then and there. She must have looked like a tomato for how red her face is. When she saw them entering the dining hall together, she thought that the prince was just bringing the servant to report to the Emperor and Empress. So when she heard the prince's knight called her by her name, she almost passed out from too much shock.

Thankfully, C.C. didn't tell everyone about the encounter… wait. WAIT. She didn't tell Lulu, did she? OH MY GOD. Where did the prince find her? In her room? Changing the sheets? OH. MY. GOD.

_Breathe, Shirley, breathe._

Maybe, the prince saw her when she was already making her way to the dining hall. Also C.C. does not look like someone who would tell an embarrassing story to the prince. Yes, yes, yes. That must be it. And the prince hasn't looked at her weirdly or judgingly.

_But they are best friends and best friends tell everything to each other._

Princess Shirley wants to die right then and there. Her dreams and hopes to marry the prince quickly vanishes into thin air.

"Princess are you alright?" she hears a small voice asking her. Turning to her right, she finds Nunnally looking at her worriedly. "You look sick. Your face is so red."

"What? N-No – "

"She's right, Princess. Maybe you should take a rest. We can reschedule our outing anytime," the prince says.

"No! NO!" This can't be happening! He cannot cancel their 'date'. She looks at the surprised faces of her audience, everyone staring at her with wide eyes. Without noticing, she abruptly stood up during her outburst.

"Princess…" Kallen utters.

Taking a deep breath and composing herself, she says, "I'm fine, Kallen. Thank you, Nunna for worrying but I'm fine. I don't feel sick. We can go on our da-I mean outing later, Lulu."

"Oh, what is this 'outing' all about?" the Empress asks, clearly intrigue.

"Well, the princess and I would visit the town after breakfast," the prince answers.

"The town?" Nunnally exclaims. "It's been a while since we went to town together, right, Rolo?"

Her twin nods. "Yes! We got so busy in school, but now that we're all on a break, maybe…" he looks meaningfully at his older brother.

"Of course, you can come with us."

Wait.

"Then," Suzaku joins, "Can C.C. and me come, too? I mean, she's been gone for three years, let's show her what have changed."

Wait a minute.

"Hmmm. That's fine. Would you like that, C.C.?"

C.C. shrugs. "Sure."

"How about mother and father?"

"Oh," the Empress laughs, "We're fine. We'll let you young ones enjoy this day. Just be aware of your surroundings, okay? We'll also talk to the head security."

WAIT A MINUTE.

What is happening? Why are they all going to town? This was supposed to be her and Lelouch's little 'date'. Them – the two of them. ONLY the two of them.

This was supposed to be her chance to get closer to the prince. To impress him with her personality and skills. To be alone with him like a real couple. But what just had happened?

"You can bring, Miss Kallen, too, Princess. This will be so much fun," Nunnally excitedly says. Her purple eyes shining with delight.

Shirley's shoulders fall.  _What just really happened?_

* * *

 

"Oh wow! You also have this clothing line here! This is my favorite store in our country. They really sell stylish and cute clothes."

Lelouch gazes through the glass window of the store, checking out the items. Hmmm, not bad. He has never really been inside of it for most of his clothes are customized by the palace's own dressmakers and stylists. "Do you want to go inside?"

The princess glances at him excitedly. "Can we?"

Lelouch nods, "Of course," then to the rest of the group he says, "We're going to check out the products here, let's go."

"Uhmmm, actually Lelouch…" Suzaku scratches his cheek and glances at C.C., "… we are going to the newly-opened Pizza Hut to fall in line and get some freebies."

"Can't you do that later?" the prince asks.

"No," this time C.C. answers. "The freebies are only available for a limited time, in fact only until 9 in the morning and it's already 8. Then we still need to fall in line, Suzaku we need to get going."

"Wait a minute, how about Nunnally and Rolo?"

"They're coming with us. The more people who'll fall in line, the more freebies we'll get." Then C.C. looks at him thoughtfully. "Why don't you come with us so you can also claim one?"

The prince looks back at Princess Shirley who is busy staring at the mannequin display of the store. "I can't."

C.C. follows his line of sight and shrugs. "Well then, see you later, Lelouch." And she goes back to her group.

_Huh, so they are going to split into two groups?_  The prince thought. It's not that he doesn't like the company of the princess but Rolo is right earlier, they haven't have an outing for a long time because of their school schedules and he found himself really excited about this now that they are all going together.  _Especially that C.C. is back_. He stares at her retreating back and suddenly feels bothered about her sleeveless laced white top and pink mini skirt. Her porcelain skin reflects the sunlight almost blinding him. Her emerald hair is tied up in a messy bun with few strands framing her face. He looks up at the bright sun then back to her.

Quickly, he runs towards his friend and grabs her wrist turning the girl around. He gasps for air.

"That's pathetic, Lelouch. I was just a few meters away and you're like you ran a marathon," the girl teases.

"Shut up…" Removing his black coat, he says, "Why don't you wear this?"

"No. It's so hot."

"Exactly, you'll get sunburn."

"I appreciate your concern, boya, but it's still a no."

A loud whistle interrupts their conversation and both turn to the source who is a young man with long blonde hair staring at C.C.'s exposed legs. Lelouch glares at him and in a threatening voice he warns, "Piss off."

The man, finally recognizing him, immediately apologizes to him and C.C. and leaves.

"That's what I'm talking about," the prince utters without removing his sight from the other man.

"Well, it's not my fault. I will wear what I want," C.C. whispers.

Looking back at her, the prince assures his friend. "It's not your fault, that bastard is just disgusting. But still," he helps C.C., who finally relented, put on the coat, fix and smoothen it, "I don't want you to be disrespected like that especially when I'm not with you. See? The cloth is not thick but actually cool."

C.C. nods. "Hmmm."

"Now. Don't stray too far away from the security. If you notice something unnecessary or odd, do not be too curious to go there by yourself, alert Suzaku or the security. And please take care of Nunnally and Rolo for me."

"Lelouch, we're just going to fall in line at Pizza Hut."

"Call me if you need anything." He looks at his watch, "Okay, you're going to be late. I wish you all the luck to get the freebies."

C.C. salutes at him. "Aye, aye, captain."

The prince watches the group until they disappear before his eyes and goes back to the princess who is talking to her own knight.

"Are you ready, Princess Shirley?" he asks with a polite smile.

"Yes, Lulu! Kallen just finished briefing me about the security measures. Let's go!"

* * *

 

"Wow, the line is so long, do you think we're going to make it to the cut off?"

Nunnally worriedly scans the crowd outside the store. She estimates around more than two hundred people lining up and that's just what her eyes can see. The line curves at a corner and she bets there are more people there.

"Why don't we just go infront and ask the cashier? I mean, we're royal bloods," Rolo suggests.

"There is no sweeter victory than one that is earned from hardwork."

The twins turn around and see C.C. holding four pieces of small papers.

"I got as number stubs from the guard so we are sure that we're included in the cut-off. But…" she smiles gently at the younger pair. "If you have somewhere you want to go to, you can just leave me here then we can meet-up later."

Nunnally and Rolo shakes their head eagerly. "We're not going to leave you, Lady C.C. What if something happens? Older brother would get really angry."

"I doubt that. I am no noble to raise interest from other people. In fact, you two should be the one who need to be more careful, my little prince and princess."

This makes the twins giggle. "We can take care of ourselves. C'mon, let's fall in line," declares Rolo.

The twins do attract great attention from the crowd. Well, it's not everyday that they'll see the royal children roam around the streets in their casual clothes and with their carefree selves. These people often only see them during parades and official events where in they need to behave how a royalty should, making them look like far away stars – too high to reach, too high to approach.

But what separates the Britannians to the civilians of other countries is that they themselves also behave properly when in the presence of a royalty. They didn't mob the royal twins and are just satisfied from waving and shouting their names from their places.

"Ah, the kids really adore you."

C.C. glances at Suzaku as they walk behind the royalties. She raises an eyebrow. "Who wouldn't?"

Suzaku chuckles. "Right, who wouldn't? So how was Japan? Any fun adventure you've done there that you'd like to share?"

"Nothing really interesting. I went there to study and that's all I did. You are actually talking to the 19-year old girl who is currently taking her final year of History course," C.C. says with a smug smile.

"Whoa! You will graduate early? Wow, congratulations, C.C.! That is awesome, you're going to graduate the same year as Lelouch and I."

"So, he didn't take advance classes, huh. Marianne must have been heartbroken by that."

"You bet. She's been nagging him to take them so he can graduate early and finally be able to take more parts in the palace affairs. I'm surprised you don't know that. Didn't you talk almost everyday?"

C.C. shrugs. "We don't really talk about school. How about you, Suzaku? How are you and Euphemia? I heard from Lelouch that you started dating. Hmmm?"

"Errr," Suzaku scratches his cheek, suddenly shy. "Something like that. We just really got started last month and with my sudden crazy schedule as a knight, we barely have time to spend together," he says sadly.

C.C. studies her friend, her other partner-in-crime when they were little, her companion in doing energy-related adventures that Lelouch couldn't do. He still wears his boyish looks – an open-face that exudes friendliness and kindness. But his cheeks are sharper, his emerald eyes were smaller than before and a crease between his eyebrows is starting to appear. She's the youngest among the three of them but Suzaku was also childish and sometimes naive in his own way.

"You really like her, huh?"

Suzaku nods. "Yeah, I think so."

A comfortable silence settle between them. The line is slowly but continuously moving and if her calculation is correct, they can get the freebies in a matter of minutes. She cannot wait to get another set of Cheese-kun freebies that will accompany her during her stay here in Britannia. She always feel more at ease if she has him with her. Those closed eyes and teasing smile are just so cute!

"Uhmm, Lady C.C. can we ask you something?" Nunnally inquires.

She looks down at the princess who is staring at her with her wide purple eyes. The princess is very pretty in C.C.'s eyes – pretty and pure. Her round eyes are a little bit lighter than her brothers' giving her an innocent and angelic look. Who can resist any of her request?

"What is it, Nunnally?"

"Uhmm, what do you think of Lelouch now that you see him again after three years?"

"Your brother?" she taps her cheek while thinking and then giggles. "Your overprotective, paranoid, non-athletic, and naïve older brother? Well, he doesn't changed that much except for he's gotten taller and his voice is very much deeper."

"But he becomes more handsome, too, right?"

Surprised by her kind of question, C.C. looks away and puts her hands behind her back.  _Lelouch is handsome?_  Well, she will not deny that she finds him good-looking since they were kids, but she won't call him 'handsome'.  _Beautiful_ , that's the fitting term. His features are beyond the realm of handsomeness, and yes, okay, that beauty even grows now that he is a man.

His amethyst eyes that were ones full of wonder are now crowded with intelligence and wisdom. Whenever he speaks in public, an air of dignity and honor fills the atmosphere making everyone listen to him intently and genuinely. His ebony hair is still longer than normal but is now styled to make him look mature, manly and princely. She almost felt breathless when she finally saw him in the flesh during his party, but of course, she didn't let him have the upperhand, so she put on her witch mask and began teasing him, after all, the prince looked adorable when he was blushing. She blamed her phone and laptop screens for not giving justice to his beauty so she was very much caught off guard upon seeing him again.

"Lady C.C.?"

"He looks okay," she answers Nunnally while watching the line.

"What about Princess Shirley?" Rolo asks.

This time, the older girl turns her attention back to the twins with curiosity. "What about her?"

"D-Do you think that she will be a good partner for big brother?"

_Good partner? Did they mean 'wife'?_  C.C. glances at Suzaku as a sudden ache on her chest begins. Might be because of the hot weather.

"Oh, the twins must be worried because the Empress won't stop talking and nagging Lelouch about finding his future wife and looks like she favors Princess Shirley," Suzaku explains.

"But that's not entirely true, Lady C.C.!" protest Nunnally and Rolo. "Mother's real favorite is you. So don't worry!"

"Me? And why would I be worried?" She's getting confused now.

"Just because! Oh, look we're almost at the front!"

And truly, they are just three people away from the cashier.  _Oh, Cheese-kun I'm almost there!_

Her phone rings in her pocket and when she fishes it out, her Cheese-kun accessory bounces in the air.

Unknown number.

Well, she has this rule of not answering a call from an unknown number ever since that terrible event, so she presses ignore and goes to claim her new Cheese-kun.

* * *

 

"Hey, Lulu…"

The prince turns to her and Shirley quickly blushes from the attention. She almost can't ask him  _the question_  because his beautiful amethyst eyes are staring at her, but she needs to know the truth.

"Yes, Princess?"

"Uhmmm, so C.C. is your best friend?" the prince nods. "Well, how long have you known each other?"

"Since when I was nine and she was seven," he answers nonchalantly as he resumes checking out a long black coat that would definitely looks good on him.

The princess also goes back to studying a brown long coat that she would love to give the prince. "So… you're really close?"

"Yes, eventhough we were separated for three years, we didn't lose connection."

"O-Oh, that's nice. Uhmmm…" Shirley glances at Kallen who is stationed a few racks behind them. "Did she have nice morning earlier?"

His hand that is fiddling the cloth of the coat suddenly pauses which makes Shirley hold her breath. Oh my God, that's a sign. She secretly glances at him and finds his eyes lost in thought. That is definitely a sign.  _Lulu knows what happened earlier!_ Please take her away from here.

Clearing his throat, the prince answers, "As normal as she can have, I guess."

Shirley covers her face with her hands and shakes her head. "I'm really sorry, Lulu. I swear I didn't know! I-I really thought she's one of the servants. I mean, she was carrying lots of sheets so I thought… I thought… I really mean no harm, Lulu," she ends feeling defeated.

"Well, on C.C.'s defense, she didn't want to embarrass you so she thought that not correcting you would be the polite way to deal with it."

The princess lets out a breath. "I-Is that so? She's so nice. Anyway, I should have been more suspicious. I already thought that she was too pretty for a servant."

"Too pretty, indeed," she hears him say in a low voice.

She glances at her companion, quite taken aback by his words. He must have not meant it for her to hear them, but she heard them, she did. There's something in his voice that makes her feel afraid and heartbroken. And now his eyes are so soft as a tender smile plays on his lips.

_Too pretty, indeed._

She remembers the way he looks at his best friend earlier when he was putting his coat around her shoulders, when they thought that no one was looking at them. That's right. It felt like they have their own little world during that moment. The way Lelouch looks at C.C. and C.C. looks back at Lelouch, the way the man bows his head and the woman tilts hers up so their eyes could meet, the way their lips are permanently on the verge of smiling while they are talking to each other, the way… She watched them from afar, not really listening to what Kallen had been advising her because she couldn't take her eyes off of them. They were just enchanting together.

And it made her feel sad then.

Best friend, huh? That's not the way you look at your best friend, Shirley concluded. Those are not the eyes of people who only have friendship between them.

Ah, she's feeling sad again.

She likes Lelouch so much. No, that's not right. She loves him so much. Ever since the first day they met a year ago during a political event in their country in which the Britannian Royal Family was also invited, she couldn't forget his beautiful amethyst eyes and gentlemanly manners that made every girl in the event swoon. She couldn't forget that despite how awkward she was when she finally had the guts to ask him to dance, he didn't bat an eye and welcomingly accepted her offer.

And ever since then, she tried her best to attend to each affair that the prince would be in just to see and talk to him again. And luckily, they quickly became friends. But she thought they were getting closer. She thought the Empress liked her to be his son's companion. But… But it looks like she has a tough competition. A competition who has more than five years of companionship with the prince against her. A competition who can be away from the prince for so long but is also easily welcomed back again with open arms.

Shirley shakes her head again. Why is she being so negative? As far as the prince, even the whole family has admitted, they are just best friends. Perhaps, they are not still aware of their feelings. Perhaps, she is just being too paranoid. Perhaps, she still has a chance. After all, he chose to come with her and not with C.C.'s group, right?

Feeling better and stronger, Shirley is about to ask him again about another topic when Lulu's phone rings. Getting it out of his pocket, she sees the same character on his pajamas swinging as a phone accessory. That's really cute. No one would really expect for a prince like him to be obsessed with such a playful yellow character.

She finds another thing that she adores about him.

"Looks like, they're done getting the freebies and are on their way back here. Is it okay if we meet them outside?" Lelouch asks.

"Oh, yes! I'll just pay for this!"

Outside, they wait for the other group and when they finally arrive, the twins immediately show the prince their keychain freebies which look very similar with his phone accessory character.

"We've got so many Cheese-kuns, Lelouch! So many that Lady C.C. can give us spares! See, they're so cute!" Nunnally tells her brother excitedly.

"Now, that is quite generous of you C.C… Are you crying?"

The green-haired shakes her head, "I am not. I just got something in my eyes."

"She was so happy to be getting her Cheese-kun stuff toy she started tearing up in the counter," Suzaku explains.

So, C.C. likes this character, too, Shirley observed. Must be something really popular here.

"Shut up, Kururugi. Anyway, can you hold my phone, Lelouch? I need to get something from my bag."

And that's when the princess sees it – when the prince's hand encloses the girl's to get her phone, that's when she sees it, the very same phone accessory the prince has dangling from C.C.'s phone.

And she remembers the pajamas the prince was wearing this morning.

And she realizes something.

For who would really expect the prince to be obsess with such a silly character? No one. For the prince is not the one who is obsess with it but a certain green-haired pretty girl who seems to be completing a collection. For, she is quite sure, the prince's pajamas and phone accessory must come from the same girl.

And finally, for a prince like Lelouch who is so well-mannered, gentlemanly, and would not let anything ruin his reputation infront of others be willingly and shamelessly wear and carry things as childish as these in public, the princess is coming to a dreaded conclusion.

_They're best friends they're best friends they're best friends_ , she repeatedly chants inside her head as she watches the prince offers to carry the big stuff toy his best friend is carrying, for all the world to see.

They're just best friends… right?

* * *

 

C.C.'s phone won't stop ringing while they are on their way back to the palace so she decides to turn it off to silence it. It's that unknown number once again.

Arriving at her room, she gently places her new Cheese-kun on the bed, pats it on the head and switches her phone on again only to see ten messages from the same number.

_Nice to see you alive and well, C.C. I can't wait to talk to you again._ _Mao_

She drops her phone.

She drops on the floor.

She touches her scar through her clothes. Her heart beating so fast.

No no no no no no no. This can't be real. Mao is in jail thousands of kilometers away from her. This is just a nightmare.

_Wake up, Cera! Wake up!_

She slaps her face so hard it brings tears to her eyes.

_No, this can't be._

Grabbing her phone back, she stands on her weak legs and leaves her room to find the Emperor and Empress. They would know and they would assure her that this is not true.

She finds them in the Reading Room looking worried and bothered.

"Dear Cera, we're about to look for you," Marianne says to her.

"He is in jail, right? Mao is still in jail, right, Charles? Marianne?"

She stares desperately at them, willing them to assure her of  _her_  truth.

Emperor Charles guides her to sit on the sofa and gives her a glass of water to drink. "Breathe, Cera, breathe. We won't let anything happen to you… How did you know?"

C.C. shows them the text message and watches as the Emperor's eyes narrow. "Apparently, he is connected with the Chinese Federation and used that connection to get him out of jail. We just actually got the news earlier but it seems like he was released last week."

"Last week," C.C. whispers. She puts her hand on her chest trying to calm her heart. Marianne holds her other hand for comfort. "He's been out for a week and I didn't even know. And now he knows my new number and he…" she looks up to the couple with wide fearful golden eyes, "And he saw me. Charles, he saw me. He knows where I am. He is just right here."

Her phone dings signaling another message. They all stare at the screen and read it.

_Don't be afraid, my love. We'll be together and will never be separated again. I will do anything to get you._

Another message.

_Oh, and by the way, I will not let that prince of yours to stand in our way. I will make sure that you and I will be together forever. Even death can't set us apart._

"Charles…"

Marianne wipes the tears on the girl's cheeks and starts massaging the hand she is holding.

The Emperor stands tall and in a firm voice he says, "We're going to get you another phone. I'll assign you your personal guards. We will also check your room and belongings if they are bugged. I'm going to appeal to the Japanese court about their decision and talk to the Chinese Federation about this. I will not let anyone harm any member of this family and whoever dares to do that shall expect merciless punishment."

"But what about Lelouch? The twins? Mao must have also seen them, he might do something to them, too. Is it… Is it wise for me to stay here?"

"Cera, trust me when I say that this is the safest place you can ever be, so yes, it is wise for you to stay here. But I guess, it's time for Lelouch to know about it, don't you think, my dear? And Suzaku, too. They'll be able to help and protect you," the Empress tells her.

C.C. shakes her head, unable to utter another word. She doesn't know. She doesn't know what to think and to do. She feels helpless and afraid just like what she was a year ago.

She feels alone.

_Ding!_

_I'll come and get you very soon, C.C. Please be ready._

She is never ready for this.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

She hasn't told anyone yet.

A day has passed by and despite the Emperor and Empress's advice to tell Lelouch and Suzaku about that terrible event last year, C.C. doesn't know how she will approach the subject without causing unnecessary alarm.

 _Unnecessary alarm_ , that sounds lame even to her.

For what happened last year not only deserved an alarm, but a whole troop of police to chase a criminal. She knows very well how her two friends will react to this especially Lelouch. That ever emotional boy, he will definitely act impulsively if he knew about the situation. And she can't afford him to do that now when more eyes are watching him after entering the age most royalties become king. And she won't let such a commoner like her ruin his reputation and credentials, particularly now that they discovered Mao is connected with the Chinese Federation which Britannia is carefully building a good relationship with.

She remembers that one time they were in high school when she became a target of bullies who were so obsess with the prince.

They saw her as a threat for being his "girlfriend" and her being not a noble just added to their hatred that they made her every day of a certain week annoying. Not that she became a damsel in distress, no, it was not in her personality. She tried her best to ignore and shrug them off to avoid any confrontation, but one day the twins saw them crowding and insulting her and they immediately told Lelouch about it.

And what did the prince do?

C.C. shakes her head at the memory.

After cornering her in her room and desperately extracting the information of what had been transpiring from her, he made those students drop out and transfer schools.

 _They should be thankful that I feel pity for them or else I would have made the headmistress expel them. Now that would be an ugly stain in their record, wouldn't it?_  he had said back then.

Silly boy.

But now… But now, she is not dealing with bullies. Now, she is facing an almost murderer, an ultimately obsessive stalker, and someone who has ties with the Chinese Federation. This is not just mere high school games she can easily report and be done with. This can affect the harmony between two governments.

She will tell him but under her decided circumstances.

Perhaps, she can ask Charles for a safe house to stay in? Somewhere far away from here, where Mao cannot stalk not only her but also her family. Somewhere secluded and heavily guarded. She will owe Charles big time for it but it's better than having the Royal Family be involved in her problems. This will also remain a secret, she'll just tell Lelouch and the twins that she will have a lengthy vacation and come back when Mao is put back behind bars.

C.C. thinks of telling Suzaku. It is easier to deal with him afterall. He will get angry at first but he doesn't let his emotions take over him at once. She can at least make him calm down and convince not to do abrupt decisions. But there's only one problem.

Suzaku can't keep a secret to Lelouch and a secret as big as this won't stay with him in a day. It would even be a miracle if it stays a secret for an hour. He will tell Lelouch right after she talks to him, C.C.'s sure of it.

She sighs. It looks like she will try the first plan and see how it will go.

C.C. gives Cheese-kun a final tight hug before gently laying him at the top of her bed. It's late morning and breakfast must be almost ending. Without changing from her night gown, she exits her room only to bump into the boy who has been occupying her mind.

"C.C.?" Lelouch looks at her from head to toe then blushes upon realizing how short and almost translucent her white off-shoulder night gown is. He immediately looks away and clears his throat. "Is this going to be a habit for you to be always late for breakfast? I will not always come here to fetch you, and do you plan to go down there wearing that? Have some decency and change to proper clothes. We have a guest who is a princess – "

"If I'm going to be always scolded like this every morning then I'd rather not join you. No one asked you to come and fetch me every time. I'll just ask Rivalz to send my food to my room so I won't waste your precious time, Your Highness." Without any warning, C.C. turns around and goes back to her room, closing the door with a bang. The prince is left frozen and speechless, not knowing what he did wrong.

C.C. leans her head against the door and tightly closes her eyes. Lelouch must think that she is angry at him. His wide purple eyes are enough evidence of his confusion and surprise. But she was also so surprised by his sudden apppearance after thinking hard about him and the situation and he followed it by a non-stop scolding when she is already stressed and haven't have food inside her stomach.

And most importantly, just seeing him gave her a strong urge to tell him everything. Because just like Suzaku, she can hardly keep a secret from her best friend.

* * *

 

_What just happened?_

_Did they just have a fight?_

_Did he just make C.C. angry at him?_

Lelouch stares at the closed door infront of him and stands there speechless. He finds it hard to comprehend what just took place. All he wanted was for her to join them for breakfast and to be properly dressed for it. He went here with good intentions.

He is about to knock on the door to clear things up with her when he remembers something.

C.C. has been acting weird since yesterday. She seems to be avoiding him, another reason why he wanted to fetch her personally. When he arrived at the Reading Room yesterday afternoon, she quickly told her goodbye to the twins without looking at him. When he saw her in the kitchen eating a homemade pizza, she excused herself and went to her room to finish eating. Her answers to his questions were short and stiff. When he tried to make a conversation, she would try to end it immediately. And she didn't sleep in his room last night though it's quite understandable since she has Cheese-kun back.

There seemed to be something in her mind and it was bothering her badly.

And if he was wondering if she was angry at him yesterday, he is sure by now. He must have done something that made her mad and he just sealed the deal earlier. But what did he do? Was it because he didn't accompany her to get freebies? He shakes his head. No, they were still okay when they returned home from the outing.

"Lelouch?"

He turns his head to the owner of the voice and sees Nunnally. "Why are you standing infront of Lady C.C.'s door? Have you talked to her?"

He looks back to the door and says. "I think she's not feeling well."

"Oh, is it serious?" his sister asks worriedly.

"I don't know." He turns to Nunnally with a forced smile. "I'll just make Rivalz bring her breakfast here. Let's just go back for now so she can have a good rest."

"Okay. I hope it won't get worse, though. She promised to join us in our mini pool party this afternoon."

Lelouch heaves out a deep, tired sigh. "I hope so, too, Nunnally. I hope so, too."

* * *

 

Thank God for one-piece bathing suits.

C.C. smoothens the red suit against her body as she checks on the mirror that nothing indecent is shown. She ties her hair up in a ponytail showing her exposed back. It's not that she's too conscious about wearing a two-piece, she had wear them before in fact, but now that there is a large scar underneath her breast which will surely get attention, she avoids wearing two-piece swimsuit in public.

She grabs her new phone with her new number courtesy of Charles. The messages have stopped coming once she got her new phone yesterday and she is glad for it.

Wearing her robe, she proceeds to the palace's main pool where everyone is already having fun.

* * *

 

Shirley watches from the water as the prince's eyes follow C.C. as she enters the pool area. She observes as he furrows his brows while watching the green hair sit three-empty chairs away from him. Meanwhile, C.C. does not even glance at his direction and comfortably lies down on the chair with her sunglasses on.

_Are they fighting?_

She had noticed that their interactions yesterday was so limited and stiff, and when Lulu returned this morning from supposedly getting C.C., he looked wary and had stayed quiet for the rest of breakfast.

She does not know how to feel about it.

The prince is obviously bothered and sad by it, but… but this is good chance for her to distract and accompany him, right? To take away his mind from other woman and focus it on her.

The princess shakes her head making water splash around her. That is too selfish of an act for her. She cannot do that to him. How can she consider herself worthy of his heart if she got it from bad ways?

No, what Shirley will do is to be there for him if he needs to talk to someone. She will not force her presence but she will be a good listener. But now, the prince looks like he really needed to cool down.

"Lulu! Come, let's swim!" she calls from the middle of the pool.

He turns to her and she can see how he visibly sighs before giving her a warm smile. "That's a good idea."

When he reaches her place, she tells him, "How about a race?"

"I think that will be a disadvantage for me. You are part of the national swimming team, there's no way I'll win against you."

"Oh, c'mon, just for fun. I promise I won't be hard on you."

And so, they have a mini race. Despite not giving her best, Shirley still wins against the prince what with his lack of agility and coordination. This is one flaw of him that she finds adorable. "That was fun," she says with a giggle.

Lelouch swipes his hair and water from his face as he catches his breath. Shirley stands mesmerized at how gorgeous he looks while wet. "Yeah, it was but I am not cut out for it."

"Well, maybe you should try hitting the gym, or even exercising regularly, Lulu. That will really help to boost your stamina. Even Nunnally can outrun you."

"That's just too mean, princess," he says while holding his chest with a fake hurt expression.

This makes Shirley giddy. Oh God, they are having fun! The prince and her teasing and laughing care freely. This feels so good and so right.

She glances down, suddenly shy. "Uhmm, Lulu, you can actually call me 'Shirley'. You let me call you 'Lulu' so I think it's just fair for you to call me 'Shirley', don't you think?"

"Shirley."

"Yes?" she asks, quickly looking up to him.

An amused smile graces his lips. "I'm just trying out your name,  _Shirley_."

"O-Oh." She can feel the heat crawling on her face and she is certain that she is blushing like a tomato right now. But her name sounds so beautiful and mesmerizing in his voice. She can listen to it every second until it is engraved in her mind. She has never loved her name this much.

"How about we – "

A set of laughter catches their attention as a surge of waves go to their direction. They look left and find Suzaku, Nunnally and Rolo laughing and clapping as C.C. comes out of the water.

"Do it again, Lady C.C.!" Rolo cheers.

"Yes! That's so cool!" Nunnally adds.

"Well then, shall we, Suzaku?"

"No problem! Are you ready to witness again the amazing and awesome exhibitionist from Britannia, none other than, Lady C.C.?"

"Yes!"

"Kindly step aside, and please don't try this at home."

Shirley watches as Suzaku bends slightly forward and C.C. grabs onto his shoulders as she lifts her leg as if stepping on something. She can't see it but it seems like C.C.'s left foot is on Suzaku's hand.

"Okay, on the count of three. 1, 2, 3!"

And the green-haired girl soars high into the air as she does a graceful backflip – green-hair shining under the sun, back smoothly bent, and lands into the water with a big splash. Her audience enthusiastically cheers and laugh for the successful stunt. The princess herself is also at awe by her skill.

"She hasn't come up."

Lulu's worried voice steals her attention. His lips are in a thin line, shoulders stiff. His eyes are strictly fixed on the spot where C.C. landed.

He's right, she hasn't come up yet. How many seconds have passed? 5? 10? But the people around her do not seem worried about it. They are still laughing and teasing each other.

"Hey, C.C. hasn't come up!" Lelouch shouts as he starts wading towards the group. Suzaku realizes this and quickly dives into the water. And in an act that surprises Shirley, the prince swims so fast he could have beaten her a while ago.

* * *

 

It is Suzaku's face that she sees underwater first.

Then Lelouch's who is swimming towards her so fast she thinks he will collide against her.

Then two pairs of hands grab her shoulders and arms, brusquely lifting her out of the water. She desperately gasps for air because of the sudden situation, surprised and confused.

"Are you okay, C.C.?" she hears Lelouch ask.

Wiping her eyes, she answers. "I'm fine. What happened?"

"What happened? Well, you just didn't come out of water after doing that dangerous stunt is what happened," he says angrily.

"But I was just…"  _trying to embrace the quiet peace underwater for a while_ , she wants to say. She just wanted to bask in the serenity and pretend that her problem would float and vanish away from her. Charles and Marianne rejected her plan earlier when she talked to them. The Chinese Federation, according to the emperor, denied his invitation for a closed-door meeting to discuss the situation. Mao is still out there, free and reckless, though they assured her that they are doing their best to put him back in jail.

But she sees the worried look not only on the prince's but also on Suzaku and the twins' faces that all she can say is, "I'm sorry."

"You should be. You made us all worry," the prince replies.

Suzaku tries to interrupt, "Lelouch, she's alright, no harm's done…"

"You even do that dangerous stunt infront of my younger siblings, who may I remind you, look up to you so much. What if they try it, fail, and worst of all, get hurt?"

"Big brother, we won't do it. Please don't scold Lady C.C."

"And what if you hit your head on the floor? That stunt can go wrong in so many ways. Do you even have a proper training for doing that? You need to also think of the consequences your actions might cause before doing it. Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Kururugi…"

"Yes, Your Highness?"

"You are my knight, it's your duty to ensure the safety of my family and not to encourage them more to involve themselves into dangerous activities. Understand?"

"I understand, Your Highness."

"Lelouch you're so cruel! We were just having fun!" Nunnally cries.

The prince sighs as he glances at his sister. His voice turning gentle, "I know, Nunnally. But there's also precaution and limit into having fun."

"But you made Lady C.C. cry!"

She can feel Lelouch turns to her as she maintains her head bowed down – her fringe hiding her golden eyes.

"It's the water from the pool, Nunnally," she says calmly but a tremor in her voice betrays her demeanor. So instead, she turns her back on the prince, puts her arms behind her and talks to group. "Lelouch is correct. What I did was reckless. And I'm sure that you won't attempt to do it, right?"

The twins nod solemnly.

"Good. It's time for me to go anyway. This heat is too much for me. I'll see you inside." She winks at the twins, reassuring them that everything is alright and leaves the pool area without giving a single glance to the prince.

* * *

 

Lelouch looks out at the empty pool as he takes a sip of his wine.

It's almost dusk and the activity has long ended a while ago.

He thinks of all the things that happened since morning and tries to understand when everything went wrong. This is the first time since C.C. left that they have a misunderstanding. He doesn't even know if what they are having is a misunderstanding or a fight or whatever. What he knows is he doesn't like this feeling. He doesn't like the heaviness in his chest that makes it hard for him to breathe. He doesn't like the trails of tears he saw on her face despite her denial of crying. He hates that he is the one who caused them.

He hates them like this.

C.C. hasn't come out of her room after leaving the pool. As much as he wants to apologize, he doesn't know where he is going to start. And even the twins are ignoring him, while Suzaku is being careful around him. The princess had also been timid and quiet ever since. Looks like he really went so far.

But he just wanted C.C. to be safe. The sight of calm water after her dive, thinking that she was under it, still, closed eyes, and not breathing brought tremendous fear to him. Fear for her that he doesn't even know exist. His heart almost got out of his chest as he counted the seconds that she wasn't coming up for air. Or just from thinking that she hit her head on the floor.

And now, he feels like his heart is being strangled because they are not talking.

Goddamit, what is this feeling?

His thoughts are broken when his phone suddenly rings. He takes it out of his pocket but finds that it is not the one that's ringing.

Looking around, he finds a phone on one of the chairs.

The phone looks new and familiar. Ah, it's C.C.'s new phone. Picking it, he debates on whether to answer the call or not. It's from an unknown number. But his hesitancy must have been long for the ringing suddenly ends.

C.C. must be looking for her phone. An idea comes to him. He can return it to her and finally talk and apologize for what he has done. Maybe, they can also talk about what has been bothering her and how he can help. He can't bear to spend another day of them (or of her) avoiding each other. That is not how they exist.

He's about to take a step when the phone rings again from the same unknown number. Thinking that it must be about something urgent, he finally answers the call.

"C.C., my love, you finally pick up."

_C.C., my love?_

"If you thought that you can get rid of me that easily by just changing your phone and number well, you are wrong my dear. By the way, you look sexy and gorgeous in that red swimsuit, though, I would have preferred you in a two-piece. Are you ashamed of the scar I've given you? You are breaking my heart C.C. that is the sign of my love for you. You should show it to the public but it would be too indecent since I put it right below your left breast, right?" A crazy laugh.

_What. The. Hell._

"My preparations are almost over and we can be together again soon. Why are you being so quiet, C.C.? Let me hear your sweet voice again."

"Who are you?"

Silence.

"Who the hell are you? Why are you saying these to C.C.?" Lelouch says through gritted teeth.

"So I've been talking to the Prince of Britannia this whole time, huh? I've even prepared those words for C.C. but you bastard, answered her phone and listened to them. You  _always_  come in between us!"

"Who. Are. You."

The caller clears his throat, and in a crazy voice, he says, "Tell C.C. that Mao sends all his love to her."

And the line goes dead.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Lelouch is in autopilot.

His feet are fastly walking on their own, taking turns here and there, and running up the stairs without him thinking about it at all. His eyes are focused forward, alert and vigilant for every sudden obstacle that will appear before him. 'Cause God forbid what he might do to whoever cuts his direction.

He navigates the hallways of the palace with a sense of steady urgency making every servant he encounters make way for him or even avoid the hallway at all. Making all of them intimidated and afraid. For the prince wears his eyes of amethyst with dangerous malice they have never seen before.

But Lelouch is calm.

Oddly, quietly calm.

He knocks on her door when he reaches her room. He patiently stands in the hallway with his hands in his pockets as he waits for her to open the door. He hears something falls and a soft "ouch!" from inside the room.

He almost smile at the clumsiness.

He wanted to smile.

He doesn't.

The door opens.

Lelouch stares at her surprised golden eyes briefly then looks at her from head to toe. His eyes carefully travel from her disheveled green hair down to her bare white feet.

_Scar underneath her breast._

Lelouch is calm.

Uncomfortably, extremely calm.

"What is it? Are you here to scold me again?"

"No."

"Then don't just stand there and stare creepily. I'm in the middle of looking for something."

"By any chance, are you looking for this?" Removing his hand out of his pocket, he shows her the phone. "Found it on a chair by the pool."

The girl sighs in relief as she reaches for it. "So that's where I left it, huh." But before her hand can touch the device, the prince holds it out of her reach.

"Give it back, Lelouch."

"No."

"No?"

"Not until you answer my questions."

Without asking permission, Lelouch enters her room and sits on the sofa by the window. Closing the door behind her, the girl crosses her arms and looks at him curiously. "What do you want to know?"

"Hmmm… Why did you buy a new phone?"

"The other one is already an old model, it isn't compatible with the new Cheese-kun game that I wanted to download."

"Is that so? And your new number?"

The girl eyes him suspiciously. She sits at the edge of her bed without breaking her stare and answers. "I've been using my old one for almost five years. I think it's time for a change."

Lelouch nods as if she gave the most reasonable explanation for her action. "Right. I even memorized that number, but now I don't even have your new one."

"Why are you asking these, Lelouch?"

"Someone called a while ago."

Upon hearing this, the girl visibly stiffens. The hands on her lap hold her pink skirt so tightly crumpling it on the process. Her soft voice comes out hard and on the edge, a tone she rarely uses – almost never uses except that one incident last year when they finally resumed their communication after being out of contact for a month. "Did you answer it?" she asks carefully.

"I was worried it was an emergency so I did."

"A-And who is the caller?"

"Who else knows your new number?"

"Only Charles and Marianne."

Lelouch looks up and leans his head on top of the backrest. Closing his amethyst eyes, he takes a deep, long breath before looking back at his companion. He opens and closes his hands as he flexes and relaxes his knuckles.

Lelouch is calm.

Furiously, darkly calm.

"Mao."

He watches as one name affects the whole disposition of the girl before him, how it quickly changes her careful eyes into fearful ones. How her breathing briefly stops like a driver suddenly stepping on the brake. How she seems to be trying to find the words she wanted to say, the emotion she wanted to show but comes out with only shock and fear.

He watches as C.C. completely turns into someone he doesn't recognize.

Lelouch is calm but he is almost at the end of his calmness.

Lelouch is calm, the calm before the storm. And the storm has been angrily brewing within him for the past time, waiting for him to explode any minute by now.

Standing up, he goes infront of C.C., looking down at her turned away face. "Who is Mao, C.C.? Why was he saying these things to you?" And he plays the recording of his conversation with the mysterious man a while ago.

Just from hearing his voice, C.C. immediately starts trembling though she tried to hide it by tightly holding her skirt. But her shoulders and knees are already shaking as she releases breath faster and shakier.

"Stop," she whispers.

Lelouch hits the 'stop' button and throws the phone on the far side of her bed. Grabbing her small shoulders, he pulls her up and tries to make eye contact with her. "Who is he and what did he do to you? What does he mean about the scar?" he asks desperately. He needs to know. He freaking needs to know what horrible things he did to her so that he can take appropriate action or else he'll go insane.

Just keeping himself calm almost drove him insane.

But C.C. keeps her face away, her long green fringe almost hiding her teary eyes. She bites her lips to stop them from trembling.

"C.C., please."

Silence and then…

"I didn't lose my phone and laptop  _that_  month, I was confined in the hospital," she quietly begins.

_That month? Oh, that month when they lost contact._

"Mao was a senior in the university whom the faculty asked me to tutor for History. He was a good guy, polite and diligent. I was always hungry so I asked if we can do the tutorial in a diner and he agreed, and since then we meet there twice a week for three months but… But he considered every one of them as dates and in his twisted mind I was his girlfriend."

Lelouch's ears are ringing.

"When I confronted him about it because he already started spreading it to his and my classmates, he refused to take his words back and kept on insisting that we were dating. After that, I told the faculty that I would stop tutoring him and to find someone new. When he heard the news, he went to wait outside of my classroom every day and followed me to my other classes. Because of this, I asked the faculty to change my classes to online and took them from the apartment. It was peaceful for a few weeks and then…"

"And then?"

Finally,  _finally_ , C.C. turns her face to him and he clearly and painfully sees how tortured she is while telling the story. He wants to tell her to stop but he needs to hear this. He badly needs to hear this and he thinks that she also needs to tell someone about it at last.

"And then one night, a knock came to my door and when I opened it, there he was holding a kitchen knife."

No.

"I quickly tried to close it again but he was fast and strong that he was able to enter and lock it from the inside. I ran away, went to my room and locked it. I called the police and then I tried to call you but…"

No.

"But you weren't answering."

"I wasn't answering because I was taking my finals back then," Lelouch numbly says.

C.C. nods. "I know, it's alright." She holds his trembling hand on her shoulder and gently repeats. "It's alright. You've done nothing wrong… And then I heard a loud sound outside and a chainsaw started destroying the door. Again, I tried to escape but Mao is a tall man and he easily caught me and threw me on the floor. He replaced the chainsaw with his knife and when he was about to stab me, I was able to block him with Cheese-kun and delayed the assault for a very little time… Oh, God Cheese-kun."

_Thank God for Cheese-kun._

"He was shouting at me. He said that I was a cheater, a whore…"

Lelouch wants to hurt someone.

"… He heard me talking to you on the phone for a couple of times and got jealous, the reason why he's so angry during the attack. He broke my right arm and leg so I wasn't able to... I wasn't able to..." Closing her eyes, C.C. takes a calming breath. The prince watches as she struggles to steady her shaking lips, as her eyebrows furrow as if confused. He watches, mesmerized, as C.C. gathers all her courage and strength to tell him the following horrific incident. And at that moment, she has never been more beautiful in his eyes for she is brave - this slender, fair girl is so admiringly and enchantingly brave.

Meeting his eyes, her left hand goes to her left breast and moves downward. "It starts right here then the knife goes down until here."

The feeling of dread returns.

NO.

"Then he changed direction and drew a horizontal 'C' that cuts the first line into half." C.C. traces the lines with such smoothness and certainty as if she has done it many times.

Stop.

A slight confused smile appears on her lips. "The pain didn't register at once but there was so much blood on the floor... so so much... Lelouch, how can a human body contain that much blood? How was I able to survive that?"

And the prince's resolve breaks at her small, innocent voice. He pulls her towards him and envelopes her tightly and securely in his arms. He desperately and eagerly clings to her warmth, to feel the rise and fall of her chest as she breathes, to hear her soft intakes of air, he desperately and eagerly clings to her being alive because…

"I didn't know," he whispers to her hair, "You almost died and I didn't know. Why would you hide something like that from me?"

Voice muffled by Lelouch's shirt, C.C. answers, "Because I know how you'd react if I tell it to you. You always let your emotions take over you. I cannot have you recklessly take a flight to Japan during your finals week."

In a blink of an eye, Lelouch drops his arms and steps away from her. He stares incredulously at C.C.

_She's kidding, right? She's got to be kidding, right?_

"You're saying that you decided not to tell me because it might affect my finals? Did I get it right?" he says slowly.

"I know it sounds dumb but – "

"I'M THE GODDAMN PRINCE OF BRITANNIA I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT IN THE UNIVERSITY AND STILL GRADUATE! GODDAMIT C.C. WHAT IF YOU DIED?" The thunder of his voice rings in the four corners of the room startling the girl with him and rendering her speechless. The prince has never been this angry – he has never raised his voice to her like this. But can she blame him? Can she blame him to feel this way when she, one of the most important persons in his life, almost died and he was sitting here thousands of miles away, taking his finals, without any knowledge of it?

Suddenly, he is exhausted. Suddenly, he feels helpless.

He slumps on the sofa and puts his head on his hands. "You don't know what it will do to me if I lose you. You don't know how it's going to break me if you died… I'm going to kill him. Now, that I know about this, I'm going to do everything to make him suffer more than what he did to you. He's going to know firsthand what Hell is like, he's going to – "

"Lelouch!"

He looks up and sees C.C. crying. "Silly boy, this is what I'm talking about." She wipes her tears with her palms as she apologizes, "I'm sorry for not telling you. That was selfish of me, but I'm alive now, right? I did not die and do you know why?"

She walks towards her friend and caresses his cheek, a soft, peaceful smile playing on her lips. "I fought for my life because I wanted to see your face again… So do not worry, I'm not going anywhere and I'll be teasing the hell out of you for a very long time."

"You better be." Grabbing the hand on his cheek, he kisses the inside of her wrist where her pulse lies and deeply inhales her citrus scent.

"That's perverted, Lelouch," she says with a light tone in her voice.

And, she's back. She's  _finally_  back.

He looks up and tries to bestow her his own signature smirk though it comes out wobbly and unperfect. "Shut up, Witch."

And eventhough the problem still hangs over their heads, eventhough Mao is still out there, with his bad and harmful agenda, there are no more secrets between them. There are no more misunderstandings and avoidance, only a more resilient and closer bond between two people who are part of a whole, though they are not aware of it yet.

And they are okay.

They are finally, thankfully okay.

* * *

Right away, they go to his parents to discuss the current situation with Mao. They find them in the Sun Room taking a break from their royal duties where the empress sees them first.

"Ohoho! What is this beautiful sight I am seeing? I take it that the two of you had kissed and made up already. It's about time!" she happily exclaims with her hands clasped together.

"Mother, we're not like that!" Lelouch denies. His amethyst eyes widens, though him and C.C. holding hands do not help his case at all.

"Marianne he already knows about Mao."

At this, both the emperor and empress regard them, especially their son, carefully and warily.

"I'm mad that you didn't tell me about it but I'll set it aside for later discussion. For now, I want C.C. to have her own personal knight who can protect her properly. I also want to have the whole palace to be checked for bugging and tracking devices, and spy cameras. Mao knowing what she's currently doing means he has a connection inside the palace. Is it possible for us to send an undercover who will mingle with the servants and guards to find out who is Mao's possible connection here, Father? And what is the status of the communication with the Chinese Federation?"

"You've already thought this much during a short time," C.C. mumbles in the background.

"The guards actually found four bugging devices inside the palace - two in C.C.'s room..."

"That disgusting piece of shit."

"... One in the dining hall and one in the kitchen, and a small camera on top of her vanity mirror. They are already in police custody for further investigation and as evidence," the emperor explains. "As for her having a personal knight, you know we have protocols for that. I can't give her a knight right now, but I can provide her personal bodyguards and one who will be with her always. I can do something about having an undercover. However, the Chinese Federation still refuses our invitation. Our diplomat said that the Tianzi is currently in deep talks with the Fenette Kingdom and could not be bothered by such "minimal" issues. However, I am planning to personally give them a visit next week. In the meantime, we're going to pull all our legal advantages that can help us build a case against Mao."

"On the other hand, the Japanese Government has been cooperative with us. They let us have a copy of the circumstances of Mao's release from jail," the empress adds.

"What exactly is Mao's relationship with the Chinese Federation?"

His parents look at each other, a silent communication passing between them. His mother's eyes are clouded with uncertainty while his father's mouth is closed in a tight line. Looking back at the prince and C.C., Emperor Charles declares, "He is the Tianzi's First Cousin and one of her top advisers. I'm not trying to steal your hope but this is going to be a tough case for us. The police also found out that he is actually a genius and just faked his way to having bad grades in History so that he would be able to come close to C.C. We are dealing with an overly obssessive stalker here. Even his cell's walls are filled with C.C.'s name and some letters for her."

Lelouch squeezes C.C.'s quivering hand, trying to give her comfort and assurance. "Let me talk to the Tianzi," he tells his parents.

"Lelouch, this is not a simple game of chess that you can restart if you lose. If you say a wrong word to her, you might trigger something unpleasant. Do not worry, I assure you that we won't stop until we get justice for C.C.," his father says.

"But – "

"Lelouch, let the grown-ups handle this matter," C.C. tells him.

He doesn't like this. He doesn't like watching from the sidelines as his parents do all the work. He needs to be doing something in this matter – something equally as painful and as hurtful as what Mao did. But as he glances at C.C., he sees her worried eyes. And who is she worried about? Him and not herself.

Sighing, he accepts his defeat in this argument with a heavy heart. "Fine. I won't be getting myself involve in this. But there's still one more thing."

His audience eye him curiously. They will surely be surprised by the next thing he will say for even him would never in his life expect that he would be requesting this but merit should be given to those who deserve it, and this particular one deserves it the most.

"Is there a way that we can make Cheese-kun the National Stuff Toy of Britannia?" he asks with all seriousness.

Silence.

"Can we have him as the National Stuff Toy since in some way he was able to protect C.C.?" he asks again.

It is the empress who comes out of the shock first and inquires him. "Lelouch, are you okay, my dear?"

"You might be sick." C.C. puts her hand on his forehead and feels his temperature. "Your temperature is normal. Maybe you're going insane."

"I am very healthy, thank you very much. And you're supposed to be happy that I'm suggesting this. It'll be a great honor for Cheese-kun."

"It's quite suspicious coming from you."

"Yes, yes, I agree with C.C.," his mother nods.

Lelouch cannot believe this, "Even you mother?!"

Emperor Charles clears his throat, calling the attention of the family. "We can actually do that, but the process can take time and it can affect business investments in the country, particularly the food business. They will view this as us being biased to a certain brand. What I can suggest is to make him an honorary member of the family."

Lelouch: "AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE FAMILY?"

C.C.: "Cheese-kun's going to be Cheese-kun vi Britannia?"

Empress Marianne: "Ohohoho!"

The emperor nods calmly.

"I can't believe this, this is insane."

"Shut up, Lelouch, you are his father."

"I AM HIS FATHER? I AM NOT HIS FATHER! I AM NO ONE'S FATHER!"

"Don't let him hear that, you're going to hurt his feelings."

"WHAT? HE DOESN'T HAVE FEELINGS!"

"Ohohoho, my grandson is so cute! Why don't we hold a 'Welcome to the Family Party' for him? The twins will surely love it. I'll contact Clovis and Milly about this."

"MOTHER!"

"Yes, yes, that is appropriate."

"C.C."!

How did it come to this? They were just talking about serious matters a while ago and now they're talking about having a stuff toy be a Britannia? His family is crazy. Today has been crazy. And the prince's mind is at the edge of its sanity. But he loves them crazily, too. And he's going to do everything to protect and keep them safe and alive no matter what.

* * *

The next day, Shirley returns home.

She spent the entire travel back silent and worried as she thought back to her final days in the Britannian Palace.

Lulu and C.C. surely had patched things up. It was evident in their light hearted behavior during her last dinner there. The green-haired maiden was back at teasing and making the prince flustered with her words. The prince, meanwhile, had lost the worried and tormented look on his face that he had carried for two days. It was amazing, really, how she could practically see the dark cloak of longing and sadness that covered them during their fight lifted up and disappeared, leaving them surrounded with a bright white light. It was amazing, really, how their happiness and bond is almost tangible.

And  _everyone_  seems to be also affected by their mood.

They didn't ignore her, though. They didn't. Lulu had talked to her about trivial things over dinner, but they were back to being just the prince and the princess of two different kingdoms. He talked to her with a polite voice he had often used to her before. Gone was the familiarity and the teasing tone of his voice during that one fantastic moment in the pool.

_That one fantastic moment in the pool._

It had seemed to have happened a long time ago. She desperately clung to the giddy feeling she had felt when they were alone. To that hopeful feeling when all his attention was focused on her. To that warm feeling when he gently uttered her name.

_"Shirley."_

Thank God, he still called her by only her name.

But she saw them going together to the prince's bedroom that night while she's on her way to her own. She saw them went to his room, C.C. holding her big yellow plushie on one hand while her other one was enclosed inside Lulu's big hand.

Shirley heard C.C. teased Lulu by calling him 'papa' while the prince irritably denied that he wasn't the father of  _Cheese-kun_.

She stood there, in the middle of the hallway, unknowingly clutching her chest as she tried to breathe properly, watching the door closed behind them.

They didn't see her. Of course they wouldn't for whenever they were together, they only have eyes for each other.

Shirley cried hard that night.

They arrived at the kingdom in the afternoon, the King and Queen already waiting for her at the large doorway of the palace. She gave them a polite curtsy upon reaching their place eventhough she badly wanted to hug them, especially her mother now that her heart is broken.

"Welcome back, Shirley, we've missed you," the King says.

Faking up enthusiasm, the princess replies, "I missed you, too."

"How's the visit to the Britannias? Am I going to hear wedding bells soon?" The queen's eyes sparkle as she expectantly stares at her daughter. But Shirley just gave her a tight smile.

"Anyway, we have some great news for you." The king declares as he leads them inside.

"What is it, Father?"

"The Chinese Federation, especially the Tianzi, was delighted during the meeting with you. She took quite a liking of you so as her letter said, 'Princess Shirley is charming, understanding and was a good listener.' I'm really proud of you, Shirley. It's the best decision to send you in that meeting."

Shirley blushes at the compliment. She likes the Tianzi, too. Talking to her did not make her feel too pressured and flustered, in fact, the Tianzi is a sweet, caring young girl who thinks of the welfare of her people. "Thank you, Father," she says.

"So they wanted to forge a stronger and lasting relationship with our kingdom. As a matter of fact, they sent one of her top advisers here to talk about the possible partnership and projects the two governments can collaborate with. We are on his way for you to meet him."

"O-Oh, I understand."

The princess is suddenly nervous. It is one thing to talk to a very approachable Tianzi, but it is another thing to talk to one of her top advisers. She had seen them stand behind the Tianzi during their meeting, all intimidating and strict. She hopes that her charm would also work this time.

They reach the conference room and the guards open the door for the Royal Family. Shirley sees the long white hair first of the man seating at the head of the table. As he stands, she takes note of how tall he is and how he is wearing an odd kind of glasses.

"This is Mr. Mao, Tianzi's first cousin and top adviser," the king introduces.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Princess Shirley. The Tianzi has been gushing about you." Mr. Mao holds out his hand which the Shirley shakes. Well, she doesn't see him during the first meeting with the Tianzi.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Mr. Mao. I am looking forward in discussing the future of our governments with you."

"Just call me 'Mao'. And I am looking forward in working with you, too."

Shirley can do this. Shirley needs this now. This will be a good distraction from her unrequited love for the prince and to dedicate her attention in the progress of the kingdom. She can prove not only to herself, but also to their people that she is a true princess of this kingdom. And Mao seems like a man who is easy to work with.

She can do this.

She can definitely do this.

* * *

They told him about C.C.'s predicament before dinner last night.

At first, Suzaku was angry at how C.C. could keep such devastating incident from them but then, anger subsided and was overtaken by a huge relief that his best friend survived, alive and with them. He hugged her so tight and so long that Lelouch needed to clear his throat to separate them.

They also told him about the emperor's plan on putting Mao behind bars again and the actions that had already been taken. He could see that the prince was not satisfied of not doing anything in a dilemma as big as this and he wasn't wrong.

For after C.C. left them to see the twins, the smile on the prince's face was immediately replaced by a scowl.

"You have something in your mind, haven't you, Lelouch?" he had asked.

The prince had stood infront of the window in the Reading Room, his back turned to Suzaku. "I need you to choose the most able personnel to be C.C.'s bodyguard. Someone who can protect her at all cost and is loyal to the family," Lelouch commands in a stern voice.

"I already have someone in mind. I'll give you his profile after dinner."

The prince nodded and turned around to face him. Suzaku finally saw the cold glint of revenge masking his purple eyes. This couldn't be good.

"I also need you to find me the best assassin out there. Someone who we can trust and would not betray us. Someone skillful and also intelligent."

"Does the emperor know this?"

"No. And you will not tell him, especially C.C."

"I don't think that this is a good idea, Lelouch," Suzaku says carefully.

The prince sighs as if already tired by the conversation. "Suzaku, I'm not going to kill Mao. Not right away. I need to capture him alive so I can still make him suffer. But I need the stealth and skills of an assassin to achieve that. And when I'm done with Mao, I'll turn him over to the authorities and make sure that he won't be able to escape again. So I, as the First Prince of Britannia, command you, my Knight, to obey my orders."

And when Lelouch put on his face of the First Prince, his Knight could only utter, "Yes, Your Highness."

That was last night, and now Suzaku is holding papers containing the profile of a certain 'Xingke' who seems to be the most competent candidate to be the prince's assassin. The Knight doesn't know if he is doing the right thing.

As his best friend, Suzaku is worried about Lelouch's train of thought and scheming mind, for the prince, with all his regality and excellent manners, can be an extremely dangerous man.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Let's play a game!"

"A game?"

Nunnally enthusiastically nods as she stares at the curious faces of her audience. "Remember, when we were younger, we used to play 'Hide and Seek' in the palace? And the first one to be found will be punished. Why don't we do that again since we're not really busy at the moment, and Lady C.C. is now here?"

"I think that's a good idea, Nunnally!" Rolo agrees.

The princess looks at the rest of them expectantly, hoping that they will be up for it. It's been a while since they do something childish and trivial as this. The visit of Princess Shirley last week had given them limited playful interactions and the brief fight between her brother and Lady C.C. had put the twins in a sullen mood. They didn't know what had transpired between the two, but whatever it was, it had seemed serious to the point that she had heard them shouting at each other when she passed by Lady C.C.'s room.

She had told Rolo about it and the twins became too worried for this was the first time that the prince and the witch were hostile at each other. And added the fact that they weren't in speaking terms for a brief time and her brother made Lady C.C. cry. They were about to talk to Lelouch to address the problem but were pleasantly surprised when they saw the two in speaking terms again and much closer than they ever was.

A reconciliation must have taken place when they were not around, and now to celebrate the wholeness of their group again, Nunnally wants to do something silly.

Lelouch looks thoughtful for a moment then agrees, "We can do that. I'm tired of this book anyway."

"Oh, the prince neglecting his studies. What a character development, Lelouch."

"Shut up, C.C."

Clapping her hands, Nunnally gets their attention. "Okay! Well then, uhmm, Suzaku, you'll be the 'it'!"

The knight points at himself and asks. "Me? Aren't we going to draw lots for that?"

"Not this time. So start counting now!"

Helpless, Suzaku closes his eyes and turns around as he starts to count from one to ten. Nunnally grabs Rolo's hand and runs out of the Reading Room. And before they could turn a corner, she catches a glimpse of his brother, already gasping for air as he tries to catch up with Lady C.C. who is already a few feet away and is not even glancing back at him.

Nunnally giggles. Ah, this would be so much fun.

* * *

The palace is a huge, wide place composed of hundreds of rooms and halls that finding a hiding place for a simple game of 'Hide and Seek' should not be a problem.

But Lelouch, for the life him, cannot find a single place to hide. He is already tired of all the running he has been doing for the past five minutes and it had slipped his mind that the servants are busy preparing for the little celebration for Cheese-kun that will be held tomorrow. So they are everywhere, and rooms are occupied.

Lelouch does not have enough energy to go the farther wing of the palace. He bets that the twins, who are very good at this game, must be very well-hidden now. He bets, no, he knows C.C. must be hiding in the most unexpected place right now.

He remembers when they were playing this years ago, night had fallen and they hadn't found her. They searched almost all the corners of the palace and even seek the aid of the servants and security to find her but she was gone.

They finally found her after half an hour when they were gathered in the Reading Room and a book suddenly fell off and hit Lelouch's head. And when he looked up, there she was, lying on top of the shelf sleeping soundly.

She won the game, at the same time, the twin's admiration for her multiplied.

He was hesitant a while ago, what with the security breaches they had discovered lately but Suzaku has assured him that the security had rid the whole palace of bugging devices and has even planted more technology that would assure the safety of the residents. Plus, C.C. had gotten her personal guard, though he isn't really sure what to feel about him, yet the records that Suzaku had shown him were rather impressive and admirable. He would not be always with C.C. visibly, but he is tasked to always be around and ready for whatever incident that may happen.

He was hesitant a while ago but seeing the hopeful sparkle in the eyes of the twins, especially Nunnally's, he couldn't help but agree. Well, he also needs this break from the stress he had from thinking of ways to get rid of Mao.

Trying to dodge the scattered servants who are carrying vases, utensils, plates and other materials needed for the party, Lelouch reaches the end of the hall and is forced to go back when a hand suddenly grabs his shoulder.

_Oh, no! He can't lose this early! Who knows what type of punishment they would come up this time!_

"Lulu!"

The prince's racing heart calms a bit upon hearing the loud familiar voice. "Oh, Milly, it's just you!"

"What do you mean 'it's  _just_  me'? I am Lady Millicent, the queen of party-planning. I am not  _just_ me," the woman replies while staring at him intently. "Anyway, what are you doing here? And why do you look so tired, Lelouch?"

"Ssshhh, don't be so loud!" Lelouch hisses at which Milly raises her eyebrows. "I'm in a critical situation right now and – "

"Oh, are your fangirls chasing you? Were they able to break the security, huh?" Milly teasingly asks.

"What? No!" Just thinking about it makes the prince's hair rise. "Anyway, I should be going – "

"Milly, what's taking you too long?"

Lelouch closes his eyes upon hearing another familiar voice. Of all the times they would corner him… Of all the people that would find him, they have to be these two loud and overly-excited duo.

"Look who I've found!" Milly puts her arm around his neck and drags him to the other person.

"Lelouch!"

"Hi, Clovis," he mutters.  _Crap, he needs to get out of this quick. Knowing Suzaku's strength and stamina, he must have gone around half of the palace already._ But Milly's arm around his neck is surprisingly strong.

"Oh, this is such a good timing, Lelouch!"

"Please stop saying my name."

"I was just on my way to find you. I needed your measurements for your outfit tomorrow. Come, Milly, bring him inside."

"Wait, didn't you just get my measurements for my birthday party? I'm sure they still work," the prince appeals as he struggles to get free of Milly's hold.

His cousin waves him off. "It's like a month ago now. Something might have changed."

"I assure you everything is the same. Hey, don't just take off my shirt! At least have the decency to close the door, Milly! Clovis, where do you think you're touching?"

"Ohohoho." That laugh greatly reminds Lelouch of his mother. He shivers. "You're so energetic, Lelouch. If only you have that same energy for physical activities," Milly teases.

"Shut up." Sighing in helplessness, Lelouch finally lets them do their thing and stands there as they take his measurements. Taking in his surrounding, he realizes that this might be also a good hiding place for him. Milly had the door closed and the process is actually silent if his companion won't open their mouths.

"So…"  _Ugh, why do they have to talk?_  "How was Princess Shirley's visit last week? Heard you went on a date," says Milly.

"Date?" Lelouch thinks so hard to remember if they did indeed go in a date.

"People saw you together in a clothing store last week. It was the talk of the town. 'The Prince and The Princess having a royal date – what a fairytale in the making' the headlines said."

"Huh. That's not a date. We were with my siblings, C.C. and Suzaku but they went to get freebies so we got separated. But the princess's knight was also with us," the prince explains. So, there have been headlines like that, huh. He doesn't particularly give attention to those kinds of articles, so he wasn't aware. In fact, they have a PR team to handle matters like this.

"However you explain it, people are already hyped up for a possible royal wedding," Clovis adds. "Do you like Princess Shirley  _that_  way? Does your heart beat so fast when you see her? Do you feel restless and alive when you're in her presence? Do you worry about her always?"

 _Does he like her_ that  _way?_ When the prince thinks of the princess, all that comes to his mind are feminine, shy, kind, friendly, and polite. His heart doesn't skip a beat when she hears her voice or if she is around. His eyes do not follow her whenever she enters the room. Whenever he thinks of Princess Shirley, he thinks of…

"She's a good friend."

The two stare at him wordlessly, Clovis with a tape measure in his hand while Milly stops jotting down the measurement Clovis has been dictating.

"I can already hear the shippers crying," Milly utters.

"Shippers?"

"Oh my God, that must be it, Lelouch!"

The prince cringes at his cousin's loud voice and glances worriedly at the door. "Lower your voice, Clovis."

But the other man doesn't hear him. "You like someone already, right?"

"What?!"

"Oh my God, Lulu, who is it? Why didn't you tell me?" cries Milly.

"No one! And why would I tell you?"

"Who is she? Who's the witch that stole the heart of the prince from the princess, huh?" insists Clovis.

Upon hearing the word 'witch', C.C.'s face appears in Lelouch's mind. He shakes his head.

"You shook your head, meaning you have someone in your mind! Ohohoho, I can't believe this is happening! Come on, tell us, Lulu. We won't tell the empress. We promise." Milly draws a cross on her heart.

"I said no one. You're just being delusional." He crosses his arms infront of him. "And I doubt you can fulfil your promise."

"Meanie," Milly pouts.

"How about this? Who comes first in your mind when you hear the words 'long hair'?"

"Depends on how long the hair is. Is it below the shoulder? Does it reach the hips?"

"Just answer the question, Lelouch."

"Is it as long as C.C.'s hair?"

Milly and Clovis exchange glances which the prince doesn't notice.

"How about, when you hear the words 'physique'?"

"What kind of physique? We can't just remember people just by their physical built. There are ones who look tough and strong in the outside but actually has a weak stamina, while there are others who are like C.C. who have a slender body but are surprisingly athletic and strong."

The two cough at the same time.

"Are you two okay?" Lelouch asks worriedly.

"We're fine. We're fine. You don't need to give us such lengthy explanations," Clovis says. "Okay, last one. 'Gold'."

"Hmmm. Let's see. Gold is a very valuable mineral that is good for trading and business. But still, dealers and sellers should still think of different ways to make it profitable like, for a jeweller, design and structure are important for the gold jewellery appeal to the market. Oh, and shades also play a big role in the appearance of the product. I can tell you this, if it were the jewellery, C.C.'s golden eyes can be auctioned for more than tens of millions."

"Wow," Clovis utters in amazement.

"Yes, wow," Milly follows.

Staring at them with a confused look in his eyes, Lelouch inquires, "What are you wow-ing for?"

Milly holds his hand and lifts it between them. Her eyes are full of wonder and seriousness that the prince rarely sees from her. "Tell me honestly Lelouch, are you inlove with – "

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Suzaku Kururugi at the door!" they all hear from the other side.

 _Crap._ Hearing his friend's voice, Lelouch panics and quickly looks around the fitting room for a place to hide. "Don't tell him that I am here," he whispers-shouts. "We're playing 'Hide and Seek' and he's the 'It'. Where can I hide here?"

"There!" Milly points at a large closet by the corner and the prince quickly dashes inside.

But he doesn't notice the knowing and mischievous glance that was exchanged between his two companions.

Behind the closet door, he watches through the thin slits Clovis and Milly talk to Suzaku.

"Have you seen Lelouch around?" Suzaku asks.

"Oh, we didn't. We are actually also looking for him to get his measurements," Clovis denies.

"Really? Then why is his shirt on the floor?" Suzaku points on where the prince was standing a while ago and there it was, his discarded shirt lying clueless, very visible to them.  _Shit._

"Ohohoho, that's a duplicate shirt. We stole it from his closet to use as our basis for his measurements, but we're still unsure so we're gonna look for him. Hey, why don't we look together?"

"Huh? Wait!"

But Milly is an expert at dragging someone and she, together with Clovis, leaves the room with her arms around Suzaku's.  _Nice save, Milly_.

Lelouch takes a deep breath, relieved that he is safe for now.

"Suzaku is an idiot."

"AAAARGH!"

The prince hits his head on the closet wall in the process of jumping away from the voice that suddenly comes from his right side.

"C.C.! What are you doing here?" He can barely see her from the dim light of the closet but he can feel her calm presence.

"This is my hiding place."

"What do you mean your hiding place?"

"Well, Clovis found me first before you arrived and I asked them if I could hide here while we are playing. Anyway, Suzaku is an idiot. Why would he announce his presence and give the other players the chance to hide from him?"

"Must be his knight manners taking over him."

Silence.

"You should really go to the gym."

"Wha – " Suddenly, Lelouch is all aware of how his upper body is bare and he is just mere inches away from a girl in a dimly lit, tight closet.

Shit.

He looks around and tries to find something that he can use to cover his body.

"Those are just pieces of discarded cloths. You can't find something big enough to cover you. Why, boya? Are you feeling awkward right now?" C.C. teases him.

"I am not."

"Really? Then why can I see you blushing in this darkness?"

"It's just an illusion."

Grabbing C.C.'s wrist he pulls her towards him and starts looking for a possible body cover behind her.

"Uhhhmmm, Lelouch?"

"Yes?"

"You won't find anything there," C.C. says in a small voice.

"Are you okay? Your voice seems weak," he asks while he continues to feel his surroundings.

"How can I be okay when I am being suffocated by your shoulder?"

Realizing that the girl's face is indeed buried in his bare shoulder, he springs back creating a decent distance between them. "I-I'm sorry!"

"Thankfully you smell nice and do not worry. That is nothing new for me to see. I've seen lots of shirtless boys before."

"You do?" Lelouch doesn't intend to say it harshly, but for some unknown reason, he did.

"At the beach? Don't tell me you haven't seen anyone topless before or with very little clothing, like bathing suits or trunks… Wait, Lelouch…"

He doesn't like this tone of her voice. This is her 'I'm-going-to-ask-something-ridiculous-and-you-must-answer-it' tone.

"… are you a virgin?"

Yup, he doesn't like it at all and what a completely ridiculous question.

A tensed silence settles between them. He can feel her patiently waiting for his answer but no, he's not going to let her win.

"I am not obliged to answer that."

"You are, aren't you?"

"Drop it already, C.C."

"So let me get this straight, you are 21 years old, the First Prince of Britannia with a lot of fangirls, but never had a girlfriend and is still a virgin. Did I get it right?"

"I'm leaving." Touching the door, he tries to push it but fails. Wait, are they locked from the outside? He pushes again but the door won't budge. This can't be happening.

And C.C. isn't done talking.

"How about the princess? Isn't she like your 'royal girlfriend'? No? So the headlines are wrong, huh. I bet you haven't had your first kiss yet."

_God help him._

Tired of the girl's teasing, Lelouch turns to her and slams his hand on the wall beside her head where the switch lies, turning on the light inside of the closet by accident.

"I have. Or have you forgotten?" he whispers.

Quickly, C.C. turns away, a blush forming on her cheeks. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really? I can clearly remember it, though."

"Must be one of your imaginations," she mumbles.

"Should I make you remember, then?"

C.C. bows her head lower and Lelouch can clearly see how red her face is. But this is no longer a game for him. His heart is racing wildly in his chest as the air in the closet thickens. His own face is heating up, too.

Holding her chin, he gently turns her face towards him. He can feel her ragged breath against his face. He can almost feel the fast beating of her heart. Dazed eyes, red cheeks. The room temperature is suddenly rising.

"Three years ago at the airport. Ring a bell?"

"No."

Ah, she's really going to deny it yet the expression of her face tells otherwise. This was the face she made after that incident – shy, blushing, and wouldn't dare to make eye contact with him.

He moves his face closer to hers and she bites her lower lip.

He moves closer and she closes her eyes.

He moves closer and he can see how long her eyelashes are.

He moves closer, closer and closer…

Until, "I've never kissed anyone since then."

And he moves away.

He stares at the waiting face of his friend and feels bad about leaving her hanging like that. But this is a dangerous situation. A very, very dangerous situation.

For the prince wants to kiss her so badly right then and there.

And it took all of his control not to do it because… because… he doesn't understand what he is feeling. This tightening of his chest. The fast beating of his heart. The way he feels so alive when he is with her.

_Does your heart beat so fast when you see her? Do you feel restless and alive when you're in her presence? Do you worry about her always?_

Huh.

Huh?

Lelouch stands there, shocked, dazed and speechless at his recent discovery. It couldn't be, right?

The prince couldn't be inlove with the witch?

* * *

C.C. slowly opens her eyes and finds the prince standing a foot away, staring at her with wide eyes. Did he just leave her like that? Open, vulnerable, with her heart in her throat? If this is a game for him, well, he definitely wins, but she doesn't like this kind of games. The kind that plays with her emotions cruelly.

She tries to compose herself and kicks his leg.

"Hey!" he yelps.

"I hate you," she mutters under her breath.

Suddenly, the door of the closet opens and Suzaku is triumphantly looking at them. "Found you! I knew Clovis and Milly are hiding something. Oh, are you two okay? Why are your faces red?"

"Suzaku," Lelouch says in an authoritative voice. C.C. stares at him curiously. What is it now? "Take me to where Clovis and Milly are now." He gets his shirt from the floor and wears it.

"Y-Yes, Your Highness."

C.C. is about to follow them when the prince tells her. "I'm sorry, but can you look after the twins for a while?"

"I can do that, but first…" She kicks him again on his other leg.

"Hey, stop being so violent!"

"You deserve it for what you did."

As she exits the room, she hears Suzaku ask, "What did you do this time?"

"Lady C.C., are you sick? Your face is so red," Rolo worriedly asks.

"That means blood is normally flowing in my face which is a sign that I am healthy," she explains.

She doesn't want to lie to the twins but how can she explain to them that one single statement from their older brother is bothering her mind?

_"I've never kissed anyone since then."_

What will she do with that information? Why did he tell her that? Why can't she get it out of her head?

"Uhmmm, Lady C.C. your face is getting redder," Nunnally says.

"Come here."

She gathers the twins in her arms and hugs them tightly. "You'll always be my most favorite twins, my beloved children."

_"I've never kissed anyone since then."_

She hugs them tighter. What is this giddy feeling?

"L-Lady C.C., we can't breathe."

"Is something wrong?" Rolo asks.

"My precious, pure, innocent children."

Oh God, she's having a mental breakdown infront of them. There's only one solution to this.

Releasing her grip over them, she announces, "Let's go to the kitchen and have some pizza."

"O-Okay," the twins hesitantly replies.

* * *

He can't stop staring at her.

He can't take away his eyes off her as a new sense of awareness envelopes his being after confirming his discovery with Clovis, Milly and Suzaku. He can't help but notice every little move she makes, every sway of her green hair, the way her mouth would slightly turns up when she finds something amusing, the gentle touch her hands and fingers have making every move seems fragile and dreamy and he just can't stop staring at her.

_"When she's not around, are you always looking for her?" Clovis had asked._

_Lelouch thought for a while then nodded. "Yes, I do."_

_"And if other men glance at her way, do you feel uncomfortable?" Milly added._

_The prince thought back of the time during his birthday party when a man was staring at C.C.'s back and that time when they're in town and some guy whistled at her. "I feel annoyed."_

_"And when she's sad, hurt or in danger, what do you feel?"_

_"Like I can't breathe." Lelouch touched his chest. "Like a heavy weight is pushing against my chest, suffocating me. And I would have done anything to make her happy again."_

_Placing her hand on his shoulder, Milly gently said, "Then there's your answer."_

_"You mean it's true? I'm inlove with her?"_

_"Uh-huh."_

_"Well then." Straightening his shirt, he spared a grateful smile to Clovis and Milly. "Good that it's settled. One less thing to worry about. Thank you for your help."_

_"By the tone of your voice, it's like you just solved a math problem. Do you understand what you just admitted, Lelouch?" Clovis worriedly asked._

Of course he understands.

He truly, deeply, and sincerely understands.

That's why he's right here, fully aware of her existence - of every breath she takes that all he can think of his how can he keep her?

"Is there something on my face, Lelouch?"

Composing his thoughts, he answers, "There's nothing."

"Then why are you staring at me like that?"

"Like what?"

C.C. taps her chin and that simple act doesn't escape the prince's eyes. "Like I've done something offensive to you when in fact you're the one at fault."

"Aren't you going to drop that? You've already kicked me twice."

"No."

Sighing, he checks out the Cheese-kun merchandise displays infront of him. They vary from stuff toys, keychains, desk lamps, to notebooks, phone cases, socks, and even jewelry. He isn't aware that such a shop exists in town - a separate establishment from Pizza Hut which is exclusively for selling merchandises.

"What are we doing here anyway? Don't tell me you're gonna add something again to your collection. We still need to do Nunnally and Rolo's requests."

"I play fair in getting merchandises by collecting stickers. I'm here to get my outfit for tomorrow's event."

A sales clerk appears holding a large box with a yellow ribbon. "Here is your order, ma'am."

Upon seeing the box, C.C.'s face visibly lights up like a child getting her birthday gifts. "Thank you."

Now, Lelouch is curious about this outfit. Cheese-kun will definitely play a big part in her appearance. Getting the box from her hands, he carries it for her as they leave the store.

"And now off to the carnival," C.C. declares while pointing forward.

* * *

Thankfully, not a lot of people are in the carnival as of the moment for it is still early afternoon. Yet its security personnel had been informed of the arrival of the prince, and now Lelouch is carefully scanning his environment while C.C. is busy buying some cotton candies.

There, one security by the hotdog stall, two by the carousel and another pair at the Ferris wheel. Suzaku and three more are a few feet away from them to give Lelouch and C.C. personal space. While C.C.'s personal guards are also out there, though unseen.

A pink cloud suddenly blocks Lelouch sight. Looking down, he gets the cotton candy from C.C. thinking how long it has been since he had eaten one.

"First, we need to get Nunnally the big teddy bear which is the grand prize in the balloon popping stall. We've passed by it a while ago. Let's go."

Turns out, the game involves balloons attached to a spinning wheel that are needed to be popped using darts. The game has five stages, each varies by its spinning speed and Lelouch wins them all including the grand prize. They leave the stall wearing a pair of matching cat ears head bands from stage 1, taking a small panda stuff toy from stage 2, a glass galaxy-themed tumbler from stage 3, and a minion body pillow from stage 4.

A security comes over and retrieves from the pair the extra baggage including C.C.'s box leaving their hands free of load. Next, they proceed to the basketball booth to win Rolo's superhero action figure but due to Lelouch's stamina disadvantage, C.C. is the one who played and wins the prize.

The prince is amazed by how she could shoot five 3-point shots in a row. Just watching her play made him feel exhausted.

"That was fun," C.C. says as she hands the prize to one of the securities.

"I didn't know you're good at it."

"Well, when I get bored in the dorms I go to arcade and play basketball. They have Cheese-kun keychains as a prize so I thought I should try it."

"Hmmm. We can go home now since we got everything you needed, or do you have anything else you want to do?"

C.C. looks around the carnival and then points upward. "There. Let's try it."

* * *

Back in the palace, two pairs of purple eyes are excitedly smiling at each other.

"I hope big brother and Lady C.C. are having fun together," Rolo muses. He neatly ties the pink bow on his twin's hair and checks if it is aligned to the other one.

"It's been a while since they have 'alone time'. I guess I'll give the teddy bear to the daughter of Mr. Waldstein. I've been hearing her ask Mr. Waldstein for it. How about you?"

"I'm thinking of giving the figure to Rivalz. I talked to him before and he mentioned that he's been collecting action figures from carnivals."

_Click! Click!_

The twins turn to the sudden sound of the camera and find the new pink-haired servant holding her phone infront of her. She has been silently fixing the flower vase in the Sun Room for the past fifteen minutes that they totally forgot that she is still there.

"Memory recorded," she utters.

"Huh?"

"You're the new maid, right? Anya Alstreim if I'm not mistaken." Standing up, Rolo goes to the other girl and opens his hand. "It's not right to take pictures of other people without their knowledge and permission. That's invasion of privacy. Delete the picture now."

"I'm just doing my job," Anya answers stoically.

"Your job? Your job is to render services to the palace with respect, honesty, and loyalty. If you can't abide with the rules, you are free to leave."

Anya stares at his waiting hand then back to her phone. Finally, she hands it to the prince and apologizes as he deletes the image. "I'm very sorry for my misconduct, Your Highness."

"I don't mean to be harsh, but please be careful and mindful of your actions. You are working at the palace and you should follow the rules and regulations, do you understand? Here."

"Yes, Your Highness. This will never be repeated."

"Alright. You are dismissed."

When they are finally alone, Nunnally looks worriedly at her twin and says, "I honestly feel uncomfortable when Anya is around. She always carries her phone with her and is always taking pictures of everything. One time I saw her outside Lady C.C.'s bedroom just standing and staring at the door while holding her phone. When I asked her if she needed anything, she just shook her head and left."

"Perhaps we should talk to Mr. Waldstein about this."

Mr. Bismarck Waldstein immediately reported to them as soon as the royalties summoned him. Mr. Waldstein, a man in his mid-forties, is the Head Butler of the palace for more than 10 years now. He has his left eye sewn shut after an incident that occurred 20 years ago in the palace kitchen which also almost endangered the current emperor's life.

He carries the great trust of the Royal Family on his shoulders proudly, and he will never betray them no matter what it takes. The twins have considered him an 'uncle' for they have grown-up in his care for all their lives.

"What can I do for you, Your Highness?"

Relaying their worries on the new servant, the twins led by Rolo, express their concerns on the odd behaviour of Anya, but much to their surprise, the head butler brushes away their worry and assures them that Anya is only a harmless girl addicted to her phone.

"I've supervised her training and she had passed them with outstanding marks. I kindly ask you, Your Highness for giving her another chance. Still, I'll lecture her about this matter and if this incident occurs again, I will personally appeal for the termination of her service."

Looking at each other, Rolo and Nunnally decide to trust the instinct of the butler. "Well then," Rolo declares. "We trust your judgment in this, Mr. Waldstein. Please take appropriate action if a problem occurs. Thank you for your time."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Outside, a pink-haired girl is waiting by the door. When the door opens and the head butler emerges, she gives him a lazy stare that can rival a sloth's.

She follows him to the quarters and starts scrolling on the photos she had taken.

"You should be more careful with your actions," Mr. Waldstein tells her.

"I'm just doing my job."

"I know. But it'll be all meaningless if you blow your cover this early and not complete your mission. How are the pictures?"

"Same, same. I'll send them to him later."

"Good. You may go now, but please be more discreet."

"Yes, yes."

* * *

The height of the Ferris wheel is very ideal in viewing the whole town and the nearby cities and estates. Lelouch takes his time in marvelling at the beauty of the sight beneath him, thinking of all the people who reside and work at these houses and establishments, how in their perspective, the ground they are walking on are endless and vast while up here, every road and alley is a mere line blurring to connect to another, creating a tangled pattern of directions trapping the ground.

"Look, Lelouch. Mama and Papa are there."

Following the finger of his companion, he finds the town cemetery that lies on top of the hill.

"I visited them a day after I arrived. Thank you for the flowers that your family always send, and for taking care of them while I was away."

"You're welcome. It's such a little thing compared to what they've done to help my parents."

"Hmmm, but still, I feel guilty for leaving them for so long… Hey, can you believe it, that one day you'll be the ruler of everything and beyond we are seeing?"

The prince chuckles at the thought. "Yes and no. Just thinking about it overwhelms my mind."

"I'm sure you can do it. You're not the 'Genius Prince' for nothing."

"Well, it's still different when it comes to actual application of my knowledge. I would like to follow Father's legacy of bringing back the peace to the country and continue it as long as possible. The people's happiness and welfare will always come first."

"What if circumstances bring you the only option of violence to protect the country? What if you are torn between deciding for the welfare of your people and the harmony among the kingdoms and empires?"

"That is actually what I'm afraid of. So I'm going to need every help out there in guiding me to make the right decisions, including yours, Suzaku's and the twins'. You're going to keep me in the right track, okay?"

"Okay."

"And if all turn their backs on me, will you still stay with me?"

"I will."

"And if I make the wrong decisions due to my poor judgment, will you still believe in me?"

"I will."

"If I fail to be the emperor Britannia needed, will you still be there for me?"

"I will."

Lelouch exhales. "That's all I needed, then… But C.C.?"

"What is it?"

Finally, the prince glances at her and finds that she is already looking at him.

"If by that time I still don't have a queen, will you be mine?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Shirley stares at the pictures with wide, incredulous eyes. Mouth hanging open, speechless, her shaky hands tentatively touch one that shows the pair wearing matching cat ears head bands and laughing together. In the other photo, the prince has his arm around the girl's shoulders seemingly saving her from colliding into an oncoming cart carrying carnival stuffs. Meanwhile, another one shows the prince gazing softly at his companion who is totally unaware of it as she orders from a hotdog stand. Then, there is one where they are just looking at each other – smiling, contented, and at peace.

A familiar ache in the princess's heart is starting to suffocate her.

"They look so happy and lovey-dovey, don't they? Like they are the only people on earth."

Looking up, she tries to stop the tears from coming and addresses her guest. "Why are you showing me these? And aren't these invading their privacy?"

The man laughs mockingly as if he is finding the whole situation entertaining. "Why, oh why, Princess you ask? I'm just concerned about you. Hundreds of headlines have already been released anticipating a 'Royal Wedding' between you and the prince but all of a sudden, his childhood friend appears out of nowhere who is not even a royalty, and steals the prince away from his princess. A witch is a proper way to call her." He taps his chin and raises his eyebrow at her. "And no, I'm not invading their privacy. They are out in the public and a lot of people had also taken photographs of them."

Shirley steadies her voice and tries to show superiority over her company for his eyes are manifesting a crazy glint that she does not like at all. "Well, I don't know why you are doing this, but this is not in our agenda. I thought we are going to talk ab - "

"Blah, blah, blah. You're boring me, Princess." He looks pointedly at her as he picks up the picture of the pair inside the Ferris wheel and holds it between them. "This is more important than whatever you wanted to talk about. Let the Tianzi handle all the political matter." He snorts and Shirley is feeling more and more uncomfortable.

She secretly glances at Kallen and finds her already on alert with a calculating expression on her face. This calms the princess a little bit. At least she isn't the only one sensing the oddity in Mao's behavior and she has full confidence on Kallen's strength and skill, trusting that her knight would be able to get them out of there if the situation turns worse.

"As if that little girl knows anything about those things. I just left for a few years and everything in the Chinese Federation is friendly. Tsk. At least those dumb eunuchs can still be easily manipulated. Anyway... Here's my offer, Princess."

The princess holds her tongue. As much as she wants to appeal or to disagree to whatever Mao will be offering, she can sense that upsetting him will be the worst thing to do right now.

"You see, C.C. and I dated when she was studying abroad. We loved each other so much to the point that we almost got engaged." A familiar longing and nostalgic look touches his purple eyes which Shirley knows so well. And her suspicion and guard starts to disappear when a soft, genuine smile appears on his lips as he continues, "We were happy, so, so happy. She was my tutor before we got together. We did things together, had regular dates three times a week. We never fight, instead almost all of our interests are the same. I fell inlove with her intelligence, independence and beauty. I loved her so much… so, so much, Princess, but…" Shirley can't help but touch the top of his hand to give him comfort because she understands. She deeply understands loving someone too much that they bring you happiness with just a single glance or just by them calling your name. How happy and giddy she was when the prince finally called her by her birth name.

"But I thought she loved me, too." Mao looks at her with broken and pleading eyes – pleading her to make him comprehend how his loved one hurt him too deep, pleading her to tell him that he did nothing wrong, that it was not his fault that they fell apart. Pleading her to understand his pain which she already does. She squeezes his hand. Maybe, she misjudged him at the beginning.

Eyes brimming with tears, Mao reveals, "She told me that they were just best friends. I was fine with that, I mean, they've been friends for years and he is a prince so there's really nothing I can do. They had this regular video call every night which I was okay with, too. But eventually, there were phone calls in the morning, in the afternoon, during our dates. It reached the point that she almost forgot our date because she's been talking to him." He wipes the tear that escaped his eye. Shirley's heart is aching for him.

"And then?"

"And then, one day she wanted to break-up with me. I asked her why, what I did wrong, where I lacked as a boyfriend for her. She said that she just didn't love me anymore, and that's when I knew. She was cheating on me with the prince, for a very long time. I… I'm still giving the prince the benefit of the doubt, perhaps, he didn't know about me and C.C. had been playing with us throughout the whole time, but I just couldn't believe it. It still hurts so much, Princess. I still love her so much."

The man before her is so broken and miserable that the princess sits beside him and encloses him to a comforting embrace. She gently pats his back as he finally cries out for his heart break. Her own heart is in pain, is in pieces for him. His genuine love for C.C. reflects in the way his eyes shone when he spoke of their happy times together, and in the way his voice cracked when his love betrayed him.

"I'm so sorry to hear that," she whispers. This is all unbelievable. How can C.C. do this to a person? She had seemed like a nice, bright young woman whom the Royal Family adores so much. The princess herself had also fallen into her charms and wanted to be friends with her but time didn't give them a chance. But now, knowing that underneath that enchanting beauty lies a conniving witch that hurts people's feelings… Shirley shakes her head. How cruel and heartless.

"Thank you, Princess." Mao moves away and fixes his appearance. When his face is all dry and presentable again, he continues, "I'm just thinking about the prince's welfare that's why I want to talk about this to you. I know you're the right person who will understand for you love him sincerely and you're the rightful one to have his heart. I just want to save him from an impending heart break. He is clearly falling for her so hard the way I did. So, will you help me, Princess Shirley? This is not just about me and you, but this is about the future of the Britannian Empire and your kingdom. There's really nothing in it for me but to get C.C. and make her realize that what she is doing is wrong. But you, Princess, you can save a country and the heart of your beloved. At the same time, the King and Queen would be proud of you."

Shirley thinks back to Mao's broken and helpless expression earlier and she decides that she does not want to see the same expression on her precious Lulu's face. Oh, Lulu who only loves his family too much does not deserve to be deceived and hurt by someone he had trusted so much. She will do anything to preserve his happiness no matter what happens.

"I would be honored to help you, Mao."

The man smiles. "I'm glad. Thank you so much, Princess. So here's what we are going to do…"

And Shirley feels that finally she is doing something right.

* * *

Someone has been knocking eagerly on the prince's door this early morning but he seems to have other plans and continues to sleep soundly on his soft, comfortable bed. Meanwhile, C.C. has been wide awake since dawn with Lelouch's serious words echoing in her mind.

" _Cera, will you be my queen?"_

She hugs Cheese-kun tightly and buries her face on the yellow soft stuff toy's head. A whimper comes out of her. What is he thinking saying those words to her calmly and all composed as if he's just stating a fact? Is he aware of the weight those words carry and what it would mean to him and to her? Yes, yes she would be there for him until the very end but asking her to be his queen is a whole different thing in a whole different level. It's like… like a proposal. She lets out a whimper again as she buries her face deeper into Cheese-kun, her toes curling. Because how can she be his queen if they don't get married, right? And in order to get married they should at least be… i-inlove? With each other?

Her foot jerks involuntarily kicking the leg of her friend. Lelouch grunts but does not wake up.

_Idiot, Lelouch! Saying something that would keep her awake the night before Cheese-kun's party. Idiot! Idiot!_

If he finds her in this state – blushing and worried about his simple words, he will be laughing and claiming victory.

The knock hasn't stopped.

Sighing, C.C. gets up and glances at her companion's sleeping form – unaware of the turmoil he had caused her. She fixes his bangs that are dangerously sticking into his closed eyes and her heart skips a beat upon catching a glimpse of his peaceful beauty. He will be a great king in the future, no doubt about it. And no matter who will be beside him when that time comes, she firmly believes that the prince will be able to stand on his own feet and lead the empire with dignity and sincerity.

Finally, she goes and opens the door only to find the Empress on the other side.

"O-Oh, C.C.?" Surprised, Marianne's eyes travel on her figure, her eyes narrowing on Lelouch's white polo that she is wearing, then on her bare legs and lastly on her disheveled emerald hair. "Good morning, C.C. Care to tell me what you are doing in my son's room this early?"

"I am actually here since last night."

The empress's eyes widen. "Last night?"

"And the night before, and the night before the night before, and – "

"Hush! I get it, you've been here every night," Marianne huffs. "I am asking what you are doing here. I understand that I've been nagging Lelouch to find a wife and it is very fine with me if it will be you, but please, the twins are still minors and you're not children anymore – "

"Your son is the one who wanted me to sleep here."

She can see how the empress's mind scrambles with the latest information and stutters. "M-My son? You mean my very much naïve, unromantic son was the one who wanted you to sleep here?"

C.C. nods. "Right, Lelouch?" she shouts.

They hear a "Mmm-hmm" from the bed.

"I do not believe this."

In a rush, the empress enters the room and quickly pulls away the thick blanket that hides the prince.

"Wake up, Lelouch! It's already late!" the empress calls.

Lelouch groggily opens his eyes but upon realizing that two sets of eyes are looking down on him and one of them is from his mother, he scrambles to get up, almost bumping his head on the head board. "Mother, what are you doing here?" he gasps.

"Good morning to you, too, my lovely son. I'm here to fetch you personally but it looks like I discovered something interesting, too."

C.C. sees the moment Lelouch realizes that his mother is already making conclusions from finding out that they are sleeping in his room. His amethyst eyes widen and a blush starts crawling on his cheeks. Cute.

"Whatever you are thinking, it is wrong, Mother. It is just safer for C.C. to sleep in here and avoid being taped again. Or if something bad happens, she won't be alone."

"Uh-huh. At least get married first before giving me grandchildren," Marianne teases.

Lelouch shrugs. "Sure."

The empress blinks.

C.C. blinks harder.

"Son, are you okay? Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine, Mother."

His mother gasps and grabs him by his shoulders. "Then does this mean that – "

"Okay, Marianne," C.C. cuts. "It's time to go. We'll just change our clothes and we'll go down for breakfast." She practically pushes her out of the room before Lelouch could spew weirder things that his mother can intentionally misinterpret. Of course, she was part of that, too, but it was so unexpected of Lelouch to casually answer her like that with regards to the talk of marriage. Lelouch, who basically shuts his brain down whenever the conversation turns about love and marriage. What is happening to him?

Returning inside, she finds him buttoning up a black polo. Leaning against the wall, she crosses her arms infront of her and asks, "What do you mean by that?"

"By what?" he asks back.

"Agreeing with your mother about us getting married first."

"Well, she actually has a point."

C.C.'s furrows her eyebrows in confusion. "Are you okay, Lelouch? You've been acting weird since yesterday. Did something happen?"

"Actually, yes."

This puts C.C. on high alert. Is it Mao? Did he do something again?

"You never answered my question yesterday."

_Question? Oh, that question._ "Because that's a strange question and I don't know if you're being serious."

"Well, I am." Done with wearing his polo, he walks towards her and stops a few feet, forcing C.C. to tilt her head up.

"If I would court you, will you let me?" he asks seriously.

To say that she is caught off guard is an understatement. "Huh? W-Why would you do that?"

"Because I'm inlove with you."

C.C. blinks at him.

And blinks again.

She blinks some more.

She has been blinking a lot of times this morning.

"Excuse me?"

"I said I'm inlove with you."

Of course, she had heard him the first time but… but what… how… this suddenly comes out of nowhere – totally unexpected and shocking, and she is not ready for this.

"I knew it something is definitely wrong," C.C. starts mumbling. "You must have gotten sick when we rode the Ferris wheel. Or you must have eaten something you shouldn't. Good job for getting sick during Cheese-kun's special day. What a nice father – "

"I am not sick, I am perfectly fine and I am inlove with you."

"Then why are you being so calm about it?" she cries.

Lelouch smiles gently at her as if he is totally decided. How can he just smile like that while she is on a verge of a panic attack? She can already sense an oncoming mental breakdown that a pepperoni pizza can only cure. He is being unfair putting her on the spot without any warning.

"Because it's the truth and I can't help it," he simply answers.

"As simple as that?"

The prince nods. "As simple as that."

This is unbelievable.

"Then since when?"

"Hmmm..." The prince glances up as if he will find the answer from the room's ceiling. He puts his hands into his pockets and just casually stands there like he is talking about the simplest thing on earth. "I really don't know. Maybe since we were kids. Maybe that's the real reason why I asked you to be my pseudo-girlfriend during highschool. Or maybe after that kiss in the airport before you left. But does it really matter?" He holds her right hand and starts tracing the lines of her palm. Both their eyes follow the smooth movement of his finger as C.C. tries not to squirm from feeling ticklish. "What matters is that I finally realize it and most of all, your answer to my question."

C.C. looks away because the expression on Lelouch's face is too much for her to handle. "This changes everything," she quietly says.

"I know."

"And you're still determined to do it?"

"Very much, yes."

"Well then," C.C. closes her eyes and takes a deep, decisive breath. She thinks of their more than ten years of friendship, of all the things they've done and experienced together. Flashes of bright, happy and warm memories filled her mind from the moment she met him during that very dark time of her life when both her parents were killed in an accident, she goes back to how, in his own little way, a young Lelouch comforted her and tried his best to distract her whenever she felt sudden sadness from their death, to after everytime she and Suzaku did something adventurous and dangerous, Lelouch would immediately go to her and check for injuries while scolding the both of them.

She thinks of the moment when they were going to be separated for the very first time – when she was informed that she got accepted in a university in Japan and how he smiled and congratulated her when she told him the news yet his eyes were telling another story. The very much unexpected yet breath taking accidental kiss that they shared in the airport that kept her up for countless nights, the silent tears she spent in the plane, and the homesickness she immediately felt upon setting her foot on her new apartment.

How their regular phone and video calls were the things that she mostly looked forward to everyday. She remembers the moment when she received the invitation for his birthday party - the way her heart skipped because of extreme excitement and happiness, her face warming up upon knowing that she's going to see him, until to the moment when they were finally face-to-face again and all she could think of was  _I missed you, I missed you, I missed you_  yet she tried to hold herself back and settled on teasing him as if the past three years of separation never happened.

She thinks of how her heart is always full whenever she looks at him.

Opening her eyes, she faces the prince and holds his gaze. "I am looking forward to your courtship, Prince Lelouch vi Britannia. I will be expecting so much from you." She gives him a levelled gaze. "Don't disappoint me."

The prince holds her hand that he was just tracing a while ago and formally shakes it. "I am the First Prince of Britannia, the heir to the throne, failure and disappointment is not in my blood," the prince highly declares.

And in that morning, a contract between the prince and the witch was made.

* * *

Slicing her piece of beef, the empress observes carefully the behavior of the pair who are sitting on her left. She watches as her son lightly reprimands his friend when a small piece of beef jumped out of her plate and went straight to his clothes. She can clearly see how Lelouch is holding his irritation back and just settled on calmly wiping away the sauce while C.C. is watching him with a sly smirk on her face.

So far, it seems that nothing had changed in their relationship. Lelouch surprised expression upon seeing C.C. in her Cheese-kun mascot costume was very much expected, as well as the girl's carefree response. But still… But still something is different. Despite their usual banter, a blanket of calmness is enveloping the two as if they just made a serious deliberation and came out in a mutual agreement. The prince no longer looks at C.C. with a mix of worry, shyness, alertness, and fondness. Instead, a perpetual adoring gaze is always directed to the girl even when she is not looking, and the way that he is treating her is more gentlemanly than before.

Meanwhile, a pink blush has never left C.C.'s cheeks ever since they entered the hall, even while she is teasing the prince. She also emits a very subtle shyness whenever he gazes at her.

Whatever happens after the empress left Lelouch's room must be life-changing.

"You've been silent, dear. Is something wrong?"

Marianne glances at her husband and gives him a reassuring smile. "Everything is alright. I am just wondering, would it be okay with you if Lelouch's chosen wife is not from a royal family?"

The emperor looks at his son and goes into deep contemplation. "He looks extra happy today, isn't he? Something must have happened earlier. I don't care whether who he is going to marry has a royal blood or none. As long as it is someone who makes him happy just like today and who he can depend on when times get tough. Someone who is loyal and would love him back greatly."

"How about our dear C.C.?"

"C.C.?" This time, the emperor directs his gaze to the green-haired lady. "Ah, I see." A fond smile appears on his lips. "Her parents must be laughing their hearts out knowing how things between our children turned out. Just like how things had turned out between us."

"You mean, how I was set up in a blind date with C.C.'s father, and you with her mother on the same night and restaurant and how we left the restaurant with different partners? Oh, wonderful times." A hearty laugh escapes from the empress as she leans into his husband. "It's so nice to be young and inlove. I just hope that they will be together forever and ever," she says dreamily.

"Hmmm. I thought you liked Princess Shirley for Lelouch?"

"Oh I did. The princess is a nice girl. But Cera brings out the sides of Lelouch that are so fascinating. He is so energetic and lively whenever he is with her. Hohoho!"

The emperor sighs. "You just love to watch your son suffer."

"Well, think about this," Marianne says giddily. "The time when Lelouch gets married also means that the twins are next."

"NO!" The emperor's sudden outburst stops all activity in the hall. Everyone turns their eyes to the appalled emperor. "NO! They are still babies! My babies! They still can't get married!"

Marianne tries to calm him down but the damage has been done. "Hush, Charles, I'm just joking. Lelouch really takes from you."

"Who's getting married, Mother?" the prince asks.

"Are you having more babies, Marianne?" C.C. adds.

"What? No! It's just a misunderstanding."

"We're going to have a younger sister or brother, Mother?" The twins are already excited.

The empress slaps her forehead. "Good lord, Charles, see what you've done."

"Well, it's your fault for causing me a mini heart attack. That is not funny." Exhaling, the emperor goes back to his normal calm demeanor and gets the attention of the guests. "Everyone, today is a very special day as we welcome the newest part of the Britannia Family. We honor him for playing a very important role in our dear C.C.'s life – for bringing her immense happiness, entertainment, company…"

"C.C. really put thought in your speech, huh?"

"… and for keeping her safe whenever she is alone and lonely. Join me in giving toast and welcoming Cheese-kun as an honorary member of the Britannia family!"

"All hail, Cheese-kun!" C.C. shouts while lifting her stuff toy up.

The twins, Suzaku, Clovis, Euphemia and Milly join her. "All hail Cheese-kun!"

When the prince didn't follow her, she looks pointedly at him.

"All hail, Cheese-kun," Lelouch mumbles at which C.C. raises her eyebrow.

"Fine. ALL HAIL CHEESE-KUN!"

And the banquet was filled with cheers and laughter that the empress wishes to stay forever.

* * *

"It's Princess Shirley."

"Why would she be calling you?"

C.C. shrugs and stares at the caller ID. "Well, she might as well be calling you since I'm using your old number." Handing the phone to Lelouch, she starts getting out of her Cheese-kun costume when the prince returns it to her.

"It's for you."

"Hello?"

"H-Hi, C.C.! I hope I am not disturbing you," says the cheery voice of the princess. C.C. nods at Lelouch and goes infront of the window.

"You are not, Princess. How may I help you?"

"Oh, well you see. I believe we weren't able to know each other well during my stay there and I really appreciated your kindness especially when we had that small talk in the guest room. I am wondering if we can meet again? Like uhmmm, a friendly meeting? I just… I just really wanted to talk to you more. But if you can't, it's fine."

Hmmm, this is unexpected. But Princess Shirley has been kind and pleasant to her, too.

"I think I can do that, Princess. It will be an honor to be your chosen company."

The princess laughs. "Please, don't be so formal to me just like Lulu. I'll just text the time and date and have a car fetch you."

"I don't think that's necessary. I can just ask the driver here – "

"It's fine. I'm the one who is asking you a favor. And I wouldn't like to bother the Britannias."

"I understand."

"Soooo… I'll see you, then? I'm looking forward to seeing you again, C.C."

"Me, too, Princess."

As soon as the call ends, Lelouch asks. "You're meeting the princess?"

"Yes. She would like us to know each other better because I was kind to her when she was here. Ah, she's so precious, isn't she?"

But the prince doesn't answer, instead he says that he will come with her.

"I don't think that's necessary, Lelouch. The princess is harmless, and Gino and the rest will be with me. Your presence might just make her nervous and we won't be able to talk properly because of that."

Lelouch stays silent and looks out the window, seemingly in deep thought. Touching his arm, C.C. assures him. "It will be fine. The princess's guards would certainly be there, too so it will be totally safe. If it will make you feel better, I'll text you every minute."

Finally, Lelouch shakes his head and faces her again. "No need to text me every minute, perhaps every hour will do." C.C. snorts. "Father will be leaving for China tomorrow. Let's hope he'll come back with a good news."

"Now that's settled, help me get out of this costume."

The prince goes behind her and sweeps her hair onto her shoulder. "I don't know how you managed to wear this alone but needed help to take it off," Lelouch mutters as he stops unzipping the back.

"Be careful, Lelouch. I am not wearing anything underneath, you might cut my back," she warns.

And she gets the reaction she expected for the prince blushes and shouts. "C.C.!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"We finally meet, Your Highness."

Large crimson innocent eyes look up at him. " _Finally?"_

He nods. "I've been trying to set a meeting with you but it seems like you had been attending to important matters according to the High Eunuchs." Eyeing the men standing behind the Tianzi, Emperor Charles waits for their reactions yet they remain calm and composed.

The Tianzi on the other hand quickly catches up and says cheerfully. "Ah, yes. My deepest apologies for not being able to grant your request, Your Majesty. I am looking forward to this meeting and hoping that we will be able to establish a stronger tie between our countries." She glances at her advisors. "Will you please leave us for while? I would like to talk privately to His Majesty."

"But Empress, there might be some matters that need our wisdom and opinions especially if you are exchanging knowledge with the highly-experienced and brilliant emperor of Britannia, who admirably retained the peace in his country," one of the eunuchs appeal.

"I am certain that Ms. Xianglin can assist me with that."

The tall one steps forward and insists, "Your Highness, please do not be immature in making this decision. As the High Eunuchs and the elders, we advise that we stay here and help you in today's agenda. The future of the country is on your shoulders. One wrong step and you might endanger the lives of one billion people. Please do not forget that."

The emperor cannot help but respond. "You are making it seem like I am here to wage war," he jokes. "I assure you, this is just a friendly visit to the lovely empress. It's been a while since we last met. Right, Empress?"

The young empress looks at him with helpless eyes. Hmmm. So this is how she is treated by her so-called advisers. From a far, he can immediately smell the stench of greediness and pretense from them. Their eyes shine with hunger for power and they are manipulating the empress like a puppet to fulfil their whims.

He looks at her straight into the eyes and gives a subtle nod hoping that he could provide her some strength and determination to stand up for herself because God help him, she is still a child. The last time he her saw was when she was in her mother's arms, merely months old.

The young empress gulps, turns to the eunuchs, and in a shaky voice declares, "W-Well I am the Empress of this country a-and I order you..." Another gulp, another glance at him, a nod. This time she speaks with more resilience. "I am the Empress of this country and I believe that I am capable to make decisions for the betterment of our land so I am ordering you to leave the room. Or are you not confident with all the things that you've taught me and expect me to fail?"

"That's not what we meant, Your Highness. We are just concern - "

"Then thank you for the concern. Now, will you  _please_ leave?"

They try to hide it by putting their fans infront of their faces, but the emperor catches their grudging glares directed at the empress.

This is very disrespectful.

"As you wish, Your Highness."

As soon as the advisers left the room, the Tianzi takes a deep breath and turns to her aide-de-camp. "Is it really alright to talk to them like that, Xianglin?" she worriedly asks.

"Yes. It is just right for them to obey your orders. You did well, Your Highness."

Charles observes the older girl and is relieved that he can sense her sincerity and kindness in serving her empress.

"I'm so sorry for that commotion, Your Majesty. But if I may go back to the last topic, what do you mean by 'we finally meet'? Can you please enlighten me?"

"Well, now I am baffled, too. You did reject my requests for an immediate meeting a couple of times, Your Highness."

The Tianzi furrows her eyebrows. "I never received any request. Have you, Xianglin?"

The woman shakes her head.

"So you are not the one who are rejecting my requests. Then who?"

"I would have immediately wanted to meet you as soon as I got your request. I deeply admire what you did to your country. But speaking of the requests, the High Eunuchs are ones in-charge in filtering my meetings and appointments. Xianglin, does it mean that they've been blocking our meeting?"

"It could be. That must also be the reason why they insisted on staying here. It is fortunate that I was the one who saw the recent letter from His Majesty or else they would deny the request again." She turns to Charles. "If it isn't intruding, may we know how long have you been trying to reach the empress."

"It has been weeks now. My secretary have sent three requests, and when we arrived in China, it's still after three days when we received another call."

"Oh my." The girl's eyes quickly turn teary when she stands up and bows so low. "I am really, really sorry, Your Majesty! On behalf of the empire, please accept my sincerest apology for the misdemeanor of my officials. We don't intend to disrespect you."

Ah, who will say no to a remorseful child who isn't even at fault? Being just a few years younger than them, he can see the twins particularly Nunnally in the empress. They both possess the innocence and gentleness that make them look for the good in all things.

"I understand. It looks like this is an internal affair that needed to be addressed immediately, too. But I would to go to the real purpose of this visit... Mao."

"My cousin? What about him?"

"We would like for you to surrender Mao to the police for he has return to harass a member of my family. And I believe that he still has more than 20 years to spend in jail for what he had done before. We are not pleased by his premature release."

The Tianzi stares at him, confused. "Surrender Mao? Release? But he is still in jail. Right, Xianglin?"

But her aide-de-camp mutters, "Those damn eunuchs... No information has reached us about this yet. But if you may excuse me, I would like to make a call."

The two royalties patiently wait as Ms. Xianglin makes the call though they are marred with different expressions - with the empress wearing a wary face while the emperor is wearing a mask of suspicion about how the dots are getting connected.

"Thank you. Please let us know  _first_  if there have been any changes or if they attempt to bypass the procedures again. Bye… Your Highness, Your Majesty, it seems like the High Eunuchs acted on their own and made under-the-table transactions to free Mao from prison. He has been free for a week now."

"B-But why didn't they inform us?" the Tianzi inquires.

"If you may, I would like to ask, can you really trust the High Eunuchs? Do you have their full support?" From what the emperor has been hearing, it looks like her advisers have a different agenda and the empress has been kept in the dark.

"U-Uhmmm…"

"Actually, the High Eunuchs have been trying to get the authority and power of the empress for a long time now. They see her as only a political tool and someone who is weak to lead a nation. Pardon me, Your Highness. Them acting on their own is not really a new thing to us and those who are loyal to the empress are trying their best to protect her position, but this matter with Mao is the worst they have done because…" Ms. Xianglin glances at the empress worriedly.

"It's because they want Mao to replace me as the emperor of China. Mao and the High Eunuchs have the same idealism on how to rule the country and they see me as a hindrance to their plans, so Emperor…"

And in that moment, Charles witnesses how a child grows up before him and learns how to stand proud on her own. How her frightful crimson eyes before becomes brave and courageous to face and prove to the adults that principle and kindness do not depend on age.

"We will help you in apprehending Mao. Rest assured that the Chinese Federation aims to protect the peace and safety not only of this nation but of the world. On behalf of the empire, I apologize for the inconvenience and misdemeanors my men had caused you. Appropriate actions shall be taken so as to prevent this from happening again."

Like a thorn has been plucked from his chest, the emperor exhales. "Thank you."

The Tianzi turns to her aide-de-camp. "Ms. Xianglin, please call the eunuchs so they can render an apology to the emperor."

"Yes, Your Highness."

When Ms. Xianglin returns with the advisers, Charles has already expected that their apologies would be halfhearted but he pays no mind. It is important now to inform Britannia about what he had discovered and the progress of events. He is certain that Lelouch wouldn't be pleased knowing that Mao not only targets C.C. but also the young Tianzi's position.

When their meeting had been finished and he is about to leave the young empress to confront her advisers, he hears Ms. Xianglin say, "You're lucky that Xingke is not here or else you would have been executed now by disgracing the empress."

Ah, he hopes that they will be able to resolve their issues soon.

* * *

"Yes, Father I understand. Thank you for informing me at once. I'll see you soon. Have a safe flight."

Lelouch ends the call and turns to the people in the room. "Father just confirmed our suspicions. Mao is indeed being protected by the High Eunuchs. The Tianzi had assured her support and assistance to us in bringing him back to jail. But of course, we won't just let him go that easily, right?"

"Lelouch," Suzaku says carefully.

The prince glances at him sideways. "I will make sure that he will suffer the pain C.C. had felt. Xingke…"

From the monitor screen, the assassin responds, "Yes, Your Highness?"

"What is Mao's location right now?"

"He still hasn't left the hotel since noon."

"Gino, how is C.C.?"

From another screen, the guard answers, "Lady C.C. just got back from the horseback riding with the princess. She is currently resting in her room."

Horseback riding, huh. C.C. is a pro at it because his own mother was the one who taught her and had been her companion during all those trainings years ago. She even qualified to compete in a race but chose to participate in the pizza event that was held on the same date. Lelouch shakes his head. He would have liked to see her elegant posture as she rode the horse and the way her hair enchantingly trails behind her. It was such a mesmerizing sight to behold.

"And the princess?"

"Princess Shirley didn't act out of the ordinary today. And her knight has been with her all the time."

"I see. Stay on high alert, especially when you see a sign that she is contacting Mao. Let me know immediately if something happens."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"That is the same to you, Xingke. And don't let Mao out of your sight. We will be moving soon."

"I understand."

"Then, that will be all for the two of you."

When the screens turn black, the prince addresses his remaining audience – Mr. Waldstein, their head butler, Anya Alstreim, the new servant, Rivalz and Nina Einstein, one of the cooks. And of course, his best friend and knight, Suzaku.

Placing his arms on the armrests, Lelouch crosses his legs and stares coldly at the people before him. "So, this is the traitor?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Anya had photos of her taking pictures of Lady C.C. When we raided her room, we found a good number of stolen photos of the lady, some including His Highness and the young masters," Mr. Waldstein answers.

"Where are the pictures, Anya?"

The pink-haired girl soundlessly goes to him and hands the box of photos. Anya Alstreim, the spy they planted among the servants to find out who the traitor is. And with her stoic and quiet disposition, she is perfect for the role.

"Her phone is also there," the spy says. "You'll find that she also sent Mao pictures through that."

"I see."

The prince wordlessly inspects the photos - one has C.C. eating pizza in the kitchen with a soft smile on her face, another has her playing with the Cheese-kun chess set she gave him as a gift for his birthday.

There is one where she's just lying on a sofa while playing video games with Rolo, and one where she's reading a book with him at the Reading Room.

There a lot more other pictures of her doing mundane things but the ones that make the prince's blood boil to the point that he feels he is going to combust are of her changing clothes and her silhouette while she's taking a bath. There are a number of pictures like these - from his peripheral vision he can see a photo of her just getting out of the shower, almost naked, her scar almost visible, yet just seeing the ones in his hands is enough for Lelouch to want to kill someone.

He doesn't notice that his hands are shaking until Suzaku grabs his wrist to prevent it from shaking more.

"Lelouch. Breathe."

A warning.

"I'm going to murder him," he utters in a low voice.

"Calm down, Lelouch."

"I'm going to kill him sweet and slow."

"Your Highness, please control your temper. We ne -"

"Shut up, Suzaku!"

The whole room is rendered silent as the photos float in the air after the prince threw the box away from him.

Anger, disgust and hostility filled his once kind amethyst eyes, his lips turned into an unpleasant frown. Unsteadily, he walks towards the cook and grabs her shoulders.

"Nina, is it?"

Wide eyes and shaking in fear, the cook could only nod.

"What? I didn't hear you."

"Y-Yes, Your Highness," she whispers.

"I SAID I DIDN'T HEAR YOU!"

"I'm Nina Einstein, Your Highness!"

The prince glances at the other servant who is also shaking and sweating.

"And what are you doing here, Rivalz?"

Rivalz gulps. "I-I heard Nina talking to someone called Mao, Your Highness. I didn't know he is a bad p-person but when Anya asked me about him, I told her e-everything I know. Please don't punish me."

Lelouch nods. "You're not going to be punished. You're a good boy, Rivalz. Meanwhile..." When his amethyst eyes return their glare to the cook, the girl starts cowering and crying. "Why did you do that, Nina? What did Mao promise you?"

"I..."

When she fails to answer, the prince turns to the head butler, "How long has she been here?"

"She's been a cook for three years."

"Three years, huh? So in those three years, where did your loyalty lay, Nina?"

"T-To B-Britannia." She kneels before him. "I'm so sorry, Prince Lelouch! Mao threatened to kill me and my family if I didn't do what he wanted. Please forgive me, Your Highness! Please!"

"So you are more afraid of him than what you will face due to your betrayal? Haven't you thought of just reporting his threats to us so we can give you and your family protection? YOU HAVE ENDANGERED THE WELFARE OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, YOU TRAITOR!" The prince clenches his fists, fighting hard not to slap the servant infront of him. His chest is rising violently as he tries to contain his anger.

Lelouch stares at her pathetic figure coldly then quickly dismisses her. He needs to dismiss her at once or he might do something out of his control. Slumping into the chair, he orders, "Bring her to the cells. Inspect her room and confiscate everything that you'll find suspicious. We need every piece of evidence that we can get."

"Yes, Your Highness," Mr. Waldstein and Anya answer. Dragging a crying Nina and guiding a trembling Rivalz, they exit the room leaving only the prince and his knight.

After a moment, his knights asks, "What are you planning, Lelouch?"

"Nothing for you to worry about, Suzaku."

"I am your knight. Everything that has to do with your welfare and safety is my concern. A while ago… you've turned into someone else a while ago," Suzaku observes.

"Well, that's why no one should dare to hurt those who are important to me. Tell me, Suzaku, you would have reacted the same way if it was Euphemia, right?"

"Leave, Euphy out of this! I am now talking to you as your best friend, Lelouch. The Chinese Federation is already aware of the situation and will definitely execute appropriate actions to solve this. You don't need to act on your own and stain your hands. Leave it to the system and wait for the results. I am certain that we will win the case. And moreover, this also involves Princess Shirley. This could turn very political."

The prince stands up so quickly stunning his friend. " 'Leave it to the system'? Then look at those pictures, Suzaku! Look at them, stare at them! You can't, right? Because half of them has her almost naked. And I don't want to think what that son of a bitch did while looking at them. Goddamn it! Her privacy, her safety were invaded without her knowing - without giving her a chance to fight and that happened because the system failed and betrayed us, and now you're telling me to let it handle things again?!"

"But you're also a prince, Lelouch! You carry the name 'Britannia' on your shoulders. You carry your father, your mother and Nunnally and Rolo's name on your shoulders! Imagine the pain you'll cause them if news come out about how their beloved prince who they admire so much turned into a cruel and unforgiving monster."

"That will be impossible if no one else finds out about this."

Out of nowhere, a punch lands on Lelouch's face making him stumble back to the chair. Suzaku grabs his collar and pulls him up. "And what about C.C.? How will she feel about what you are doing? This is the main reason why she didn't tell us what happened last year. She knows how emotional you may get towards this matter."

"But she almost died! Suzaku... She almost died and we wouldn't know about it. Because I didn't answer her call."

Suddenly, all of the prince's adrenaline disappear leaving him tired.

Of course, of course, it never left his mind how C.C., how Cera, could have possibly died that night. It never left his mind how every day with her right now could easily be a lifetime without her. The delayed fear and guilt are eating him because he is afraid he might lose her for real. As long as Mao is out there, his fear for her safety will not disappear.

The smiles and calmness that he directed her way these past few days were only his way to not make her worry.

But he is goddamn afraid.

And furious.

"But it wasn't your fault nor C.C.'s. Mao is the only one to blame for all of this," assures Suzaku.

"That's why we need to catch him immediately." Snatching his collar, the prince fixes his shirt and hair and returns back to his normal demeanor as if he just didn't have a breakdown infront of his friend. "We will continue with the plan. As the First Prince of Britannia, I order you to ready the resources needed to execute our attack tonight. We will be leaving early in the morning."

He can see that Suzaku is still in disagreement with him - his emerald eyes are filled with contained anger and rebuttals, but he already pulled the 'Prince' card and not following his order will be counted as disobedience to the throne.

Bowing, his knight answers, "Yes, Your Highness."

"Thank you, Kururugi. You may leave now."

When he is all alone in the room, he pulls out his phone and stares numbly at the swinging Cheese-kun keychain. He musters all the calmness and happiness he can get in a short period of time - plastering a fake smile on his face, before dialing her number.

She answers on the third ring.

"What is it, Lelouch?"

"Just checking out if you have set the rest house on fire."

"Not yet. But I left the doors of the stables open and now they are panicking on how to catch the horses."

"Ah, what a witch you are."

"Of course, I am C.C. And are you forgetting that you are courting me? That greeting is a bit inappopriate to say to the lady you are courting."

"There's no lady as of the moment."

"Well then, if there is no lady to court, no courtship is happening. Glad we're clear."

"C.C.," the prince sighs.

"Lelouch," she sighs back.

"I miss you."

Silence.

"What's with the sudden sentimentality, boya?"

Touching the bridge of his nose, he responds, "Nothing. I'm just tired. What are you doing?"

"You just actually woke me up from a nap. I'll be having dinner with the princess later."

"How is everything? Are you having fun?"

Without seeing her, he knows that she just shrugged. "I guess. We did a lot of things. Princess Shirley is unexpectedly so energetic and enthusiastic."

Ah, so she is having fun. This is the nearest she can get from admitting that she is enjoying her time with the princess.

"I see. Well then, I won't keep you long. Behave yourself, C.C. I'll see you soon."

"Yes, yes."

"Just one yes is enough."

"Such a mother hen. I'll see you when I get back there, Lelouch. Bye."

"Bye."

The deafening silence remains after their conversation ended, accompanying the prince as he succumbs into deep contemplation. Somehow he gets some of his sanity back after talking to her.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the day he'll get to revenge C.C. Tomorrow he is going to catch Mao and make him suffer the way he did to his beloved. Tomorrow hopefully his fear would finally end.

After tomorrow, would they still look at him the same?

* * *

Princess Shirley seems to be still nervous around her. Her fork and knife clang too loudly as they hit her plate which annoys C.C. so much. But she cannot bring herself to tell her for she felt that it would bring more discomfort to the princess. So she settles to silently finishing her dinner while enduring the ear piercing sound that echoes in the dining room.

"Uhmmm... So how's Lulu?"

Ah, so they are finally talking about him.

She has been anticipating for a whole day for the princess to talk about him yet she managed to last this long not uttering even his nickname.

Perhaps that is her being polite to C.C. and the latter greatly appreciates that. But truth to be told, she doesn't mind the princess talking about him for she comes the most alive and giddy when she shares stories about the prince, yet there is also a guilty feeling in her heart now that she knows Princess Shirley's feelings for the prince are not reciprocated and she has something to do with it.

"The prince is doing fine, Princess. He was a little busy when I left him in the palace because the emperor is attending an important meeting overseas," she tells her.

"I-I see. I hope he isn't exhausting himself. Uhmmm, C.C.?"

"Yes, Princess?"

Princess Shirley puts down her fork and knife and the atmosphere suddenly changes. Alert, C.C. has a feeling that whatever the royalty will tell her would be something of importance.

She notices how her emerald eyes slightly turn downward as if contemplating then quickly looks up to her with a determined and serious expression on them.

"Everyone knows that I have a crush on Lulu. No, I am inlove with Lulu for a long time now and I am going to confess to him soon." Oh, C.C. does not expect that at all. "That's why… I want to know what your real relationship with him is and if you're going to be in my way when I finally pursue him. Do you like Lulu, C.C.?"

"I…"

_I… what?_

Does she like him?

Of course she likes him. She likes him a lot that's why he is her best friend, that's why she allowed him to court her. Because despite acting like a tease and a witch to him all the time, deep down she likes the undivided attention he always gives her.

But just the word 'like' is not enough to cover their whole relationship. What they have is beyond the universe of 'romance'. It is something that naturally sprang and bloomed between them and encased them in a glass case that preserved their deep connection even after they got separated. Something unexplainable. Something that can only be seen and felt by those around them.

Lelouch is always there for her and she is always there for him.

Whatever his color is, it is hers, too.

If she is a witch, he is her warlock.

"Why can't you answer my question, C.C.?"

She looks directly at the princess. "Because my feelings for him are beyond words. Lelouch is my special person. My accomplice to almost everything. My pepperoni pizza."

"Pepperoni pizza?"

"But... But I would not be stopping you from telling him your feelings." She chuckles. "That boy is so dense in the matters of love. He wouldn't know unless you tell him."

"Are you loyal to him?"

"I am."

"Is that the truth?"

C.C. furrows her eyebrows. Where is this question coming from? "It's the truth," she answers firmly.

A moment of silence ensues between them, neither one of them taking their eyes off of each other.

C.C. can feel an inner turmoil is bothering the princess but she couldn't fathom why. Everything she had told her is true. She will not hinder the princess from confessing to Lelouch. Lelouch might be her warlock but he is not her property. It is not up to her who he wants to see and it is not a decision for her to make who can see him.

And perhaps it is also time for Lelouch to finally be aware of the princess's feelings towards him. Because she can clearly see that her love for him is truly genuine and pure and for that, she admires her deeply.

The princess shakes her head. "I am so sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Maybe I am just so nervous because I finally made up my mind to tell him." She lets out a nervous chuckle.

"It's alright, Your Highness. It is understandable because you will be baring your heart and be vulnerable to him."

"B-Baring my heart? Now that sounds scarier. I don't think I can do it."

"You need to believe in the power of love."

"Do you?"

She gives her an ambiguous smile.

Because what is she exactly doing?

Lelouch is already courting her, and if he even had the slightest feelings for the princess, he would have told her before.

But he didn't.

It was C.C. whom he talked about the future with.

Does she believe in the power of love?

She does but sometimes it's just not the right person and the right time.

She just wishes that Princess Shirley would be alright after hearing Lelouch's answer.

"Is it okay if I retire now, Your Highness? I'm still a bit tired from all of our activities today. But I greatly enjoyed them."

Waving a hand infront of her, the princess says, "Yes you may. Please take all the rest you needed." She glances at her knight who is standing by her side. "I prepared more activities tomorrow."

"Thank you, Princess."

C.C. leaves Gino on his post outside the guest room and goes straight to the shower. All she wants to do now is lie on the bed with Cheese-kun and fall asleep. Today is indeed a tiring day after the princess gave her a tour around the town and their horseback riding. Her muscles are stiff and she can feel the fatigue finally overtaking her body despite taking a nap earlier.

Wearing her Cheese-kun pajama, she mindlessly goes out of the shower while drying her hair. She sits infront of the vanity mirror and starts combing her hair when a mass of white behind her catches her attention.

When a mass of white made her drop the comb with a  _clang._

When a mass of white starts making its way to her and lays its hand on her shoulder.

When the mass of white is a full living person with purple eyes smiling evilly at her.

"We finally meet again, my love."

* * *

She is doing the right thing.

Shirley repeats the words in her head as the car moves further away from the rest house, leaving C.C. alone with him.

She is doing the right thing.

Mao will just make C.C. realize that what she is doing is wrong, deceiving the prince is very much wrong. He wouldn't hurt her, right? She trusts that he wouldn't hurt her for he loves her, too. But... But is C.C. really deceiving the prince?

This thought has been plaguing Shirley's mind since after dinner. Because all that she saw in the other girl's eyes when she asked her all those questions was the truth.

C.C. had looked at her unwaveringly and spoke to her with such firmness and kindness that only people who are with genuine feelings and intentions do.

_"Lelouch is my special person."_

He is Shirley's, too.

So she will do everything to protect him from getting hurt at all cost.

The princess closes her eyes.

She is doing the right thing. Mao wouldn't hurt C.C.

"Your Highness, are you okay?"

Opening her eyes, she gives Kallen a tight smile. "I am. Were you able to do your task without trouble."

The knight nods. "Yes. I locked the guard in the basement and brought the key with me."

Laying her head against the seat, Shirley tiredly asks, "We are doing the right thing, right Kallen?"

"Is the princess second-guessing?"

"I don't know, but since we left the rest house, I have this heavy feeling that something bad might happen. I mean, we just left them all alone there."

"But we're just following the plan."

"Yes, but..."

"We've done our role, Princess. We brought C.C. to him. The rest is in Mao's hands right now. Or... if you're really that worried, we can turn around and go back."

The princess shakes her head. "No, you're right. I am sorry for worrying you, Kallen. We should get back to the palace sooner since I have other important things to do."

"I understand, Your Highness."

Yes, other important things like preparing for her confession to Prince Lelouch.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"Mao... It's been a while."

"I missed you so much, C.C. I'm sure you missed me, too, right?"

C.C. carefully looks at him through the mirror. The crazy smile is perfectly plastered on his face completely matching the malicious glint in his purple eyes. It immediately brings her back to her helpless state when they last saw each other and she tries not to show her fear. She tries not to let him know that her fingers are trembling and her heart is beating fast. Yet, the heat radiating from his hand is a terrible reminder that he is really physically here - that they are inside a room again, only the two of them and no one else.

"How did you know that I am here?" she calmly asks.

The man finally lifts his hand only to clap twice. Yet she feels like she can breathe again with the sudden lightness and coolness on her shoulder.

"You didn't even answer my question, C.C. Did you miss me? I need to hear you say it, love."

Standing up, she turns around and faces him. "That is quite childish of you. Mao, how did you know that I am here?"

"Pffft. Well, if you're really insistent and since I can't bear to see you beg me, I'll give you a clue." The man steps forward which makes her step back. "Ginger hair, green eyes." Another step forward, another step back. C.C. takes note of how far she is from the door and the windows. "Hmmm. Fair skin and tall height." He continues to move towards her like a predator slowly prowling to his prey. C.C. already bumps against the edge of the vanity desk leaving her nowhere else to go. The chair she was sitting on a while ago is the only thing that separates them now. She gulps. "A royalty, actually she's the only princess of a certain kingdom and she loves spitting the name... 'Lulu'. What a disgusting name." Mao spits on the ground as if it can erase the name from his mouth.

"P-Princess Shirley?" C.C. utters in disbelief.

Mao claps again which is accompanied by a manic laughter. "You're correct! That's right, that airhead of a princess was the one who helped me orchestrate my meeting with you. I didn't really expect that she would be able to pull it through, though."

"You're lying. She can't do this."

"Oh dear, she already did. If you'd like, let's call her." While Mao dials her number, C.C. once again studies her surroundings for a possible exit. She needs to think of a plan while he is still distracted.

"I know you're thinking of escaping. Don't tire your pretty head of yours, love. I locked the door from the outside and that blonde boy was stuck in the basement, thanks to the princess's knight. The other security outside however, would only think that this is just a normal peaceful night. That is if they are not yet killed by my men. Oh, hi Princess!"

C.C. is about to scream for help when a large hand quickly shots infront of her and tightly and painfully covers her mouth. So tightly she can feel her cheeks being bitten and her teeth mashing together. Tears start to form in her eyes. She uses her free hands to remove and hit his hand but he is strong and larger and oh God, she is lacking oxygen.

"Mao, is everything okay?" she hears the worried voice of the princess. She tries to shout but only a weak whimper comes out.

"Everything is fine, Princess. I would just like to thank you for helping me with the plan. C.C. and I are having a very nice conversation and I think she is starting to realize that what she is doing is wrong."

_What?_

"Oh, I'm so glad and relieved to know that. I hope you can convince her to stop lying to Lulu. The prince adores her too much and I don't want him to get hurt upon knowing the truth. Thank you for doing this, Mao."

_Huh? She's lying? To Lelouch?_

"It's my pleasure, Your Highness. Oh, and good luck to your confession to the prince."

"Thank you, Mao."

"Good bye, Princess."

C.C. immediately and desperately gasps for air as soon as Mao's hand is remove from her mouth. She holds her chest as she tries to inhale air as much as she could. "I..."  _gasp_  "... don't understand..."  _gasp_ "What is she..."  _gasp_ "... talking about?"

"Hmmm? Well, I just told her some little lies about you being my girlfriend and made her believe that you cheated on me with the prince and now you are deceiving him. How easily I manipulated her, that little princess. She is so blinded by her dumb infatuation for him that she believes anything a stranger would tell her as long as it involves his safety."

"You're a monster!" With all her strength, C.C. throws the chair at him but Mao anticipated her attack and quickly grabs it with his both hands and fights her.

He smirks at her. "You're just wasting your strength. If you'll just come with me peacefully, you're not going to be hurt, C.C."

"As if."

Her left hand lets go of the chair and grabs the face powder behind her. She throws it at Mao creating a thick white cloud making the man cough. C.C. takes advantage of the situation and this time grabs the perfume and sprays it on his face specifically aiming at his eyes.

"Aaaaaaaaaarghhhh! DAMN YOU, C.C.!"

She immediately runs to the window and attempts to open it when all of a sudden, a gunshot hits the glass.

Surprised, she stares at the broken glass for a moment before getting her wits and cowers on the floor as Mao continuously fires aimlessly.

Another bullet hits the wall above her then another one hits the vase.

_Keep calm, don't panic. Keep calm, don't panic._

"You'll regret this, C.C.! My eyes!"

Standing up, she attempts to get to the window again when heat suddenly spreads on her right shoulder. She glances down and finds blood quickly sipping through her clothes.

_Keep calm, don't panic. Keep calm, don't panic._

Mao is still covering his eyes and continues to fire everywhere. A bullet just passes by C.C.'s ear. Okay, she can't even stand up properly without getting shot.

Getting down, she crawls to the bed and hides under it. She needs to wait for him to calm down. At this rate, it seems like he doesn't care if he kills her or not and that makes him more dangerous.

She tests her right shoulder and immediately feels a stinging sensation causing her to bite her lips. The wound is not that deep but she needs to stop the bleeding. Yet how? For now, she covers the wound with her hand even though it's not enough.

Breathing so hard, a mountain of thoughts tries to enter her head but she can't afford to have a mental breakdown right now. She needs to focus, focus, focus to survive. She still needs to go back home and tease Charles and Marianne more. She still needs to be back home to see and gush over the twins. She badly needs to stay alive to finally give Lelouch her answer to his first question. She must stay alive no matter what.

Suddenly, everything is silent.

The firing stops leaving dusts and wreckage on the floor.

C.C. doesn't dare to make a single sound.

Each breathless second feels like the ticking of the clock counting down to a dreadful ending.

"Finally!" she hears Mao rejoiced. She watches as his feet walks slowly to the left as if he is taking a stroll in the park. She slowly crawls to the right. "I know you're still here, C.C. Come out, come out. I promise I won't hurt you."

The girl cannot decide if it's a good thing that the bed is wide providing her a larger hiding place or a hindrance in making a quicker escape.

"Please come out, dear C.C. I've missed you so much. Don't you want to talk to me? I am hurt."

He is crazy. He is madly and insanely crazy.

"They won't let me have a picture of you inside the prison. I missed your green hair, oh you don't know how good it smell. It drove me crazy when you were with me. Please, C.C. let me smell it again."

Disgusting.

She feels a movement above and his feet start swaying in the air. He must have sat on the bed.

"Well then, I guess I'll just do all the talking since I've got a little secret to tell you. A secret of your beloved prince."

C.C. doesn't respond.

"Did you know that Lelouch has a plan to assassinate me? Yes, you heard it right. The prince who everyone thinks as kind and modest is a secret murderer. The prince who everyone admires is a future criminal. Imagine what it would do to his image if that comes out."

C.C. closes her eyes. As much as she doesn't want to believe in his words, she knows what Lelouch is capable of doing for the sake of the important people in his life. Please, don't let that be true.

"He actually hired an assassin to spy on me, tsk. I can't believe he got a hold of Xingke. That bastard Tianzi loyalist. I thought I had disposed of him permanently. Anyway..." She hears metals clicking. "Of course, the brilliant me quickly found out about their plan. Huh, they thought they're being discreet about it but since I was in prison, I've been carefully planning my revenge taking in every possible move he would make. That prince of yours, he is so easy to read especially when he is angry." A manic laugh. "Is that who you chose over me? Someone with problems on anger management? I think you can do better, C.C. Like choosing me."

Suddenly, a phone rings. C.C. holds her breath as she listens to her ringtone. Damn, she left it on the bed.

"Well, well, well, who this might be? Oh look, it's the prince. Hello, Prince Lelouch."

Silence.

"I'm glad C.C. mentioned me to you and that I made an impression to the first prince of Britannia..."

"Hmmm? Oh, unfortunately she can't talk with you at the moment because we're currently playing 'hide and seek' and she's under the bed. Now, now you don't want her to get caught..."

"We're all alone inside her room and now I can do everything I want. Can you imagine all the things that I want to do to her?"

"Right, right. I have no time listening to your useless threats. Good bye, I still have a game to play."

Without any warning, his face appears infront of her causing her to gasp in surprise.

"Hello there, love."

Quickly, she rolls away and goes out of her hiding place. She runs to the broken window but a hand grabs her waist and pulls her back. Her body collides against Mao's. Hot, foul breath invades her ear as he whispers, "Got ya."

_Keep calm, don't panic, focus._

Drawing a deep breath, C.C. recalls all the things she had learned from the self-defense classes she had taken after that incident.

With her elbow, she hits his side causing the man to loosen his hold which is enough for her to escape. Then she kicks him on his groin so hard that he doubles over and throws the gun under the bed in the process.

Yet, Mao catches her ankle causing her to stumble on the ground. Pulling her long hair hard, he almost snaps her neck in the process. "You can't get away from me."

She kicks him on the shin and twists his arm then kicks him again harder on his groin making the man scream in agony.

C.C. spends a split second contemplating on whether to stay and get the gun risking the time she had bought or to run ahead and takes advantage of the time to go far away. She chooses the latter and quickly jumps out of the window (silently cursing as she steps on a broken glass) and runs and runs and runs through the dark bushes, blindly guessing her way away from the rest house. She thinks of shouting for help but she remembers Mao mentioning having men around the area.

_Where to? Where is the road? Where is help?_

Meanwhile, her injured shoulder is starting to hurt from all the fight she did and she knows that a lot of blood had already been lost. This makes oxygen scarce for her that she decides to stop running and hide behind a large tree where she sits on the ground.

This should buy her enough time to rest and think of her next move. She just needs to be silent and attuned with her surroundings. Her left foot is already stinging. Checking it, she finds it bloody with a few glass shards sticking out of her skin.

Oh, this is going to hurt.

She bites her lips as she painstakingly removes each shard, sweat trailing down her forehead. A whimper comes out of her as she successfully removes one. She waits a few seconds, letting the pain subside before doing the same with the next one. The sharp edges painfully slice her skin – slowly and thoroughly – and she couldn't help but swallow her screams. Her soft, tortured whimpers echo in the forest like a lonely cry of a baby wolf left behind by its pack.

Finally, when the last one was out of her skin, C.C. lets out a ragged breath as she leans her head against the tree trunk. She looks around trying to see a path that will take her out of the forest. But with only the moon as her source of light, everything is a big black shadow of what they used to be during the day. And she won't be able to walk that far anyway for she is feeling dizzy... dizzy... dizzy...

C.C. closes her eyes. It must be because of her continuous loss of blood. She is suddenly tired.

 _Is this going to be it?,_  she thinks. Won't she be able to see her loved ones for the very last time and say good bye to them?

"Papa, Mama."

A single tear escapes her eye. This isn't happening. She refuses to believe that this is going to be the end. She still has a lot of things that she wanted to do, still has a lot of places she wanted to visit. She still needs to graduate and become a staff in a museum where she can apply all her knowledge in history. She still needs to stay longer and thank the royal family for welcoming her and making her a part of their family. And most importantly, she still has a person to make a promise of a lifetime.

"Lelouch..."

Placing her hand on the trunk, she slowly stands up – legs shaking, arm unsteady. Every step away from the tree is a grueling task to an uncertain destination. But she won't give up. She. Must. Not. Give. Up. She had survived a knifing on her chest, it will be such a cruel joke if a bullet on her shoulder will be the end of her. Step, pant, step, pant. She will survive this, too. She will live and come home to them, she is going to tell Lelouch what she told the princess and more. She will –

Her legs give out.

Her head hits the soft ground.

She couldn't stand anymore.

The ground that was brown is now stained with red.

Clenching her fists, she silently prays for everyone's happiness and safety. She prays for Charles and Marianne's long-lasting relationship, for the twins to grow up into kindhearted and humble royalties, though they already are. She asks for Suzaku's steady rise in the ranks and for his relationship with Euphemia to become stronger and closer.  _Ah, what if they got married?_ , C.C. thinks. She would have wanted to see that. Euphemia in her glorious white dress and Suzaku wearing a blinding white knight attire. It would be a sight to behold. She would have liked to be a godmother of their future children.

C.C. tries to smile. That would be nice.

She looks beyond the darkness, not really seeing anything. Is it really that dark? Or is she losing her sight? She doesn't know.

So she closes her eyes.

And most of all… Most of all, she asks for Lelouch's forgiveness for she would break her vow to stay with him. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Please forgive her. She lo –

Before she loses consciousness, she thinks she heard some footsteps from afar.

She didn't find out who they're from.

* * *

"Don't leave any tree, bush and ground uninspected. If you needed to climb a tree, do it immediately. Remember, finding C.C. is the top priority! Understand?"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"And if you find Mao, bring him alive to me. Now, start searching!"

The securities scramble away, immediately run and search just as what he issued. He almost follows them when a hand grabs his arm and stops him.

"It is better if you stay inside the car, Lelouch and wait for the results." Suzaku holds his eyes with such fierceness and disagreement but he doesn't heed his advice.

Lelouch shrugs off his hand from his arm. "No. I am going out there and find her." He begins walking again but the knight blocks his way.

"Suzaku," he warns.

"Lelouch. Listen to me this one time, please. There are many risks and dangers that are awaiting you there. I already agree with this crazy mission but I cannot let you put yourself in the middle of danger where you could possibly get hurt or worse, die. "

A gun shot rings in the forest at the same time, Suzaku's radio clicks.

"What is that?"

"An encounter with the enemy's men, sir. We killed one of them."

"Okay, continue your search. Don't come back here empty-handed."

"Yes, sir!"

"See? That's what I'm talking about, Lelouch. People are dying here and YOU. ARE. A. PRINCE. How many times do I have to remind you that a lot of future and lives depend on you? Please, listen to me."

Lelouch grits his teeth and clenches his fists. "But C.C. is also out there."

"And we're going to find her. We will do everything, I assure you that. C.C. is my best friend, too. I won't let anything worse happen to her. So please…"

"Promise me," the prince pleads desperately. "Promise me that you will bring her back alive. Promise me, Suzaku. Because… Because she is your future queen."

Taken aback, Suzaku is speechless for a moment with the sudden revelation. "You mean… Well then, I swear in the holy name of Britannia, we are going to bring C.C. back at all cost."

"Alive."

"Alive."

Another gunshot echoes in the background.

"I'll go in there now. I'll see you later."

"Take care, Kururugi."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Lelouch resignedly gets back in the car and rests his head on his hands. Breathing deeply, he attempts to calm himself because goddammit he should be outside with them looking for her. His heart and mind will not rest as long as there is no assurance that she is safe and away from Mao.

That bastard. He had been trembling in anger since he talked to the disgusting piece of shit. He can still recall the dread and fear that he had felt when he didn't hear C.C.'s voice, but Mao's instead. How his body froze for a second upon confirming that he really did escape their surveillance just like what Xingke had reported and it was a dummy who was in the hotel making them believe that he never left the place. Just a few minutes after their meeting, he received a call from the assassin informing him that Mao could have possibly tricked them.

And when he called C.C.'s phone, his greatest fears were confirmed.

All of their planned attacks were immediately thrown out of the window and now they're operating based on the situation they are currently in.

God just let her be safe. Just have her escape Mao and hide in the forest. He trusts C.C.'s instinct and strength. If there is someone who can rival his intelligence equally, it would be her, but… But this is a different situation. This is a matter of life and death.

He has been trying so hard not to think of anything bad that could have happened to her to keep his sanity. He has been blocking all negative images that tried to invade his mind and make him lose all hope that she is still breathing. The one hour travel to the rented rest house which was originally two was the most frustrating one hour of his life. He just stared blindly at the sceneries they were passing by while Suzaku explained the plan – willing the car to go faster, wishing that he could just teleport himself to the rest house and protect her from everything.

Goddammit, just… please.

Lelouch covers his face in frustration.

If he would be stuck in here for a while, might as well make an important call.

"Lulu?"

"Princess Shirley," he breathes. "Princess, where are you?"

"Oh, uhmmm, I'm actually just getting ready for bed in the rest house. Are you calling to check on C.C.?"

"Yes. How is she?"

"Well, she retired early so she must be sleeping now. Seems like she got tired from all the activities for today but we had fun. I was surprised that she's so good at horseback riding."

"She is. Princess, can you do me a favor?"

"I thought I told you to call me 'Shirley' instead." A giggle. "What is it, Lulu?"

Lelouch unclenches his fist and flexes it. "Shirley… Can you please go to C.C.'s room and wake her up? I need to tell her something very important."

Silence.

"Shirley? Are you still there?"

"Uhhh, uhmmm, yeah. Well, wouldn't she get angry if we disturb her sleep? I mean, she seems too tired earlier."

"She wouldn't. And if she will, she won't be angry at you. I'll take the blame."

"But, w-why don't we just let her rest? She's really exhausted, she couldn't even keep up with our conversation a while ago."

"Are you hiding something, Shirley?"

"What? No! I just… I just think…"

"I understand. I'm sorry for intruding. You're right, we should let her rest."

"I'm really sorry, Lulu…"

_Stop calling him that._

"… can we meet some other time? I mean, are you free the day after tomorrow? I want to tell you something."

"I don't know. I might be busy that day.""

"Oh, how about next week?"

"I'll check my schedule first with the secretary. I'll call you back then."

"Okay! I'll look forward to it."

He ends the call without properly saying good bye.

If there is one thing that he couldn't believe in this whole ordeal, it is the involvement of Princess Shirley. The princess who he considers as a good friend and companion was the one who brought C.C. to Mao himself. He vaguely remembers asking Suzaku while they were on their way what had motivated the princess to conspire with Mao and his knight's answer surprised him.

" _It must have something to do with you," Suzaku solemnly responded._

" _With me?"_

_Suzaku sighs. "I think you're the only one left who isn't aware that the princess has a huge crush on you. Perhaps, even inlove with you. And you and I both know that she is too good to do something like this unless she doesn't know Mao's real motives and he told her lies to make her trust him."_

_Lelouch shook his head. "You're already acquitting her of her sins."_

" _I'm just saying… I just couldn't believe that she will intentionally do this."_

Well, Lelouch couldn't believe, too.

A commotion outside catches his attention and he immediately leaves the car.

The first thing he sees is the bruised pale skin that can rival the white surface of the moon. Then the scarlet blood that is running freely down the arm bringing a scarlet tinge against the pale hue. The person's clothes are stained with both blood and soil, and is ripped and crumpled everywhere as if the owner just came out of a battle, neither as the hero nor as the villain.

Just seeing the person's appearance makes Lelouch lose all his hope.

He is frozen. He is shocked.

God, please help him.

* * *

Suzaku scans the dark forest for any sign of life. It is quiet and still as if nothing has ever disturbed its peace. Yet, he already heard three more gunshots from afar and his men reported two enemies killed and one of their men wounded.

Good thing, he had convinced Lelouch to stay or else he is another person to worry about. He just hopes that the prince will stand by his words and not go into the forest without his knowledge.

Refocusing his senses, he listens to any soft sound and howl coming from the depths of the forest. It had been minutes since he and his men enter the place but so far they haven't encounter any sign of life, be it an animal or an insect.

The longer that everything remains silent, the bigger his worry and fear become.

Moving further in, he remembers those times he and C.C. would play games that were definitely risky and adventurous, causing the prince to worry about them perpetually. C.C. might be Lelouch's other half, but she is also Suzaku's partner in crime. They may not share the same bond as what she had with the prince, but their connection is close and strong enough that they consider each other as best friends, too. Their age difference is not a hindrance to treat themselves as equal to each other.

They are the unholy trinity after all.

And it would greatly devastate him if three becomes two. Good Lord, he doesn't want that tragedy to happen. Please let her be alive.

He passes by a small stream, yet no one seems to have been there. No traces of footsteps and of blood can be found on the ground though, he badly prays that blood won't be involved in this search.

Another gunshot from afar.

He sweeps the bushes, kneels on the wet grass, climbs the tall rocks but still no C.C. They are running out of time. How long has it been since the start of the search? An hour? Is she still here? Perhaps, she has gotten away. Perhaps, she is already safe and is finding a way to contact them. Perhaps, she is totally unharmed after all.

He wants these wishes to come true. Let them be true.

He shouts her name which is followed by his men but they receive no response.

"C.C.! It's me Suzaku! Are you in here?"

No response.

He walks further more without getting any result.

"Where are you, C.C.?" he mumbles.

Suddenly, his radio clicks.

"Sir, we found her!"

When Suzaku arrives at the site, he almost falls to his knees upon seeing her devastating state.

Lying on the ground, unconscious, bloody and dirty, C.C. looks like a sleeping angel that had been tortured by the devil. Her pale white skin does not even glow in the darkness but quickly reminds Suzaku of death.

_Death. No._

He runs to her and immediately carries her in his arms. Shaking her small body, he calls, "C.C. wake up! C.C.!"

Silence.

He puts his ear on her lips and waits for the agonizing seconds. Finally, he feels a faint air.

She's breathing. She's barely breathing.

Oh, God she's still alive.

He looks around the people infront of him, unaware of the tears that are falling down his cheeks.

"We need to save her."

* * *

The guards step out of the way as the prince eagerly walks to the person until he is face-to-face with him, the dreadful feeling in his chest just multiplied upon laying his eyes on his terrible condition.

He is being held by Gino and Xingke who also appear very much exhausted and wounded, though Gino looks dustier and a bit disoriented.

"Your Highness," Xingke starts, "We finally capture Mao a few hundred meters away from the rest house. He - "

Without any warning, the prince grabs Mao's collar and brings his face dangerous to his. "Where is C.C., Mao? Where is she?!"

Mao's purple eyes struggle to open amidst the swelling and bleeding. "C.C.? C.C. my love, where are you?" he answers incoherently.

Lelouch pulls his hand away and lands a strong punch on Mao's left cheek which makes the latter stumble back and almost fall to the ground if not for the assassin and the guard holding him.

Fist stinging, the prince flexes his hand itching to punch Mao's face again. "Where is she? What did you do to her?"

Mao's purple eyes finally look at him but they are unfocused and confused. Lelouch grits his teeth. This is useless. The bastard is so badly beaten up he can't even follow his train of questions. It has been what? Thirty minutes? One hour? Since Suzaku went to search for her. And there are a lot of things that could happen in an hour. An hour could be too late.

Suddenly, a silent crazy laugh comes out of Mao until he is full blown laughing and coughing like a mad clown in a bad horror movie.

"So you are the prince of Britannia, huh? The one my C.C. couldn't stop talking about whenever we were together? The one who always stood between us even though you were far, far away? YOU BASTARD! YOU STOLE HER AWAY FROM ME! You wanna know where she is now?" He laughs again. "She is gone! I took her away from you, away from everyone! We will be together when I escape again. Do you really think that you'll be able to lock me up? I got power in the Chinese Federation. I'm going to take what's rightfully mine and go to the farthest place where C.C. and I can live together. Well, that is if she's still alive. I forgot to tell you that I rained gunshots on her a while ago."

"SHUT UP!" All of a sudden, a gun is pointed at the mad man's forehead. Lelouch is trying so hard to control himself from pulling the trigger because he badly, madly wants to blow this bastard's brains up.

"Yes! Pull the trigger, Your Highness! Kill me with your own hands, dirty your hands with my blood and in return, your beloved will hate you for being a cold-blooded murderer. Kill me, Prince Lelouch! Come on!"

This time, it is Lelouch's silent mad laughter that sends shivers to the skin of everyone who is witnessing the dark side of their prince. "Then you never know C.C. well to assume that. I can kill you, I will and C.C. will understand why I did it so there's really not much for me to worry about, isn't it?" He touches the tip of the gun against Mao's forehead.

Realizing that the prince is truly serious with his threats and finding no hesitation or remorse for what he is about to do in his eyes, Mao's eyes widen and fear begins to mirror in them. "P-People will despise you if they find out that their prince is a murderer. Your family will hate you!"

Lelouch looks down at him coldly. "What people? There are just you, me and the guards here. Do you really think that they will announce this to the public? I assure you, they witnessed bloodier scenarios than this and they were all kept under the rug... Now, where is C.C.?! Answer me before I pull the trigger without any regret." He pushes the gun against Mao's forehead harder.

"I-I don't know. She ran away. She must be somewhere out there, losing blood, fighting for her life." Mao laughs crazily again. "That's what she deserves for lying to me, for not choosing me over you. That bitch deserves to die."

"MAO!"

Lelouch's finger pulls the tr -

"Lelouch!"

Lelouch almost drops his gun and quickly forgets the existence of the criminal before him upon hearing Suzaku's distraught voice.

He would never forget how afraid and desperate his best friend is during that moment - how for the first time in their friendship, he sees him crying and shaking so hard, as he carries a mass of red in his arms.

Red. Red. Why red? Lelouch doesn't remember any red. It should be green. There shouldn't be any red on her. And some of those red are already crusty. Lelouch is confused and shocked. He freezes on his place upon laying his eyes on the limp, lifeless form of the girl he loves so much. Eyes closed, arm hanging on her side, looking extremely and dangerously deathly pale.

Deathly pale.

Death.

Dead.

"C.C.?"

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"She's alive… but barely. We need to get her to the hospital now!"

_She's alive._

Coming out of his shock, Lelouch commands to immediately bring her to the standby ambulance where he and his knight ride, too. Medics quickly attend to her wounds and provide her oxygen but she remains unconscious.

Lelouch never lets go of her hand while his eyes never leave her chest - making sure that she is still breathing and alive.

_She is alive._

The lightning fast travel to the palace's hospital is a blur of prayers and desperate pleas from the two men as the medics try their best to keep C.C's heart beats longer until proper medication comes her way.

At the hospital, she is immediately placed in the Emergency Room while Lelouch and Suzaku are left to agonizingly wait for the doctor to come out.

"What are we going to do with Mao?" Suzaku asks solemnly. He hands the prince a bottle of water and sits beside him. It's been an hour since they arrived.

"Put him in the cell. Bring him some food. I need him alive so he can feel the bloody torture that awaits him. I'll see him after I ensure that C.C. is fine."

Suzaku nods. "The hospital was already informed that this is to be kept confidential."

"Good."

"Her Majesty is on her way."

"Only Mother?"

"It seems so."

"Okay."

A moment of tensed silence settles between them before Suzaku speaks again. "We found her approximately three hundred meters away from the rest house. She was lying on the ground already unconscious though there was a tree not far behind which had blood stains on its trunk. She must have rested there then tried to move again but..."

Lelouch nods. His clasped hands shaking.

"She's going to make it. We're talking about C.C. here. She always surprises us with her smart mouth and unpredictable behavior. She'll get through this, Lelouch."

"I should have insisted on coming with her. We already had information that the princess was conspiring with Mao, but I just let C.C. went into the lion's den, alone and defenseless. I should have gone with her even though she could get mad at me. I should have..." He looks at Suzaku with broken eyes. "I failed her again."

"No!" Suzaku disagrees. Grasping the prince's shoulders, Suzaku tries to talk sense to him. "No. You didn't fail her, Lelouch. You've done everything you can and took precautionary measures. It's just that Mao is an evil man who will do everything just to hurt someone. This. Is. Not. Your. Fault. Do you understand? I am certain that C.C. will say the same, too."

"C.C..." the prince utters, dazed. "I asked to court her."

Suzaku plasters an encouraging smile. "Yeah?"

Lelouch nods. "She agreed. We haven't told anyone yet, except you." He runs his hand on his face and breathes deeply. "I don't know if I'll be able to leave her side when she wakes up."

"You're serious about this?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I wish you luck. It's long overdue anyway. You should have been really dating since high school."

"I'm an idiot, that's why."

Suddenly, there are loud voices in the corridor that catch their attention. A few seconds later, the empress is walking towards them with a very worried look on her face.

"How is C.C.?" she asks at once.

Standing up, Suzaku answers, "She's undergoing operation, Your Majesty."

"But she's not in danger anymore, right?"

Lelouch breathes. "We hope so." Finally, he looks up to her and the expression on his face must be so terrible for his mother quickly sits beside him and holds his hands. "Do the twins know?"

The empress shakes her head. "They're fast asleep. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Her eyes linger longer at her son before showing him a hopeful smile. "She will make it. Trust in her. She'll get through this. She already survived something worse."

_Something worse._ Good Lord, when will he be able to stop bad things from happening to her?

Another hour has passed when the doctor finally emerges and delivers the good news. C.C. is already in a stable condition. They brought her just in time before she would reach the point of no return and the possibility of losing her for good.

His audience draws out a collective exhale upon hearing the news.

A heavy reassuring hand lands on Lelouch's shoulder. "See? I told you she will make it," Suzaku says. His emerald eyes are shining.

"She did. Thank God, she did."

They are allowed to see C.C that night but the girl is placed in a medically-induced coma so they have to wait for tomorrow until she finally wakes up.

The prince, the empress, and the knight all stay in her room - relieved but still in vigil for her full recovery.

At dawn, Lelouch asks Suzaku to return to the palace and supervise the matters related to Mao's capture.

Outside the room and away from his mother's sharp ears, Lelouch orders his knight, "I will not be able to face Mao sooner until I make sure that C.C. is well but I want you to start making him suffer until when it's time that I meet him, he will be crawling on his hands and knees begging me to end his life."

He waits for Suzaku to argue, just like what he has been doing whenever he raises the matter of Mao's torture, but he is surprised when his friend easily conceded to his words.

"And also, I want a detailed report from both Xingke and Gino on why that bastard was able to escape their watch. From their explanation, I'll decide on whether they deserve reprimanding."

"I understand. What about Princess Shirley?"

"I'll meet the princess later. I need to handle the situation with her differently, especially because C.C. seems fond of her," Lelouch explains monotonously.

"The emperor is set to arrive tomorrow evening. Are you going to be there to talk to him? I am certain that the news already reached him. Proof is Her Majesty knows about C.C.'s condition."

"Do not worry about that. I'll talk to my parents personally soon... Anyway, tell Villeta to bring the papers that need my inputs and signature. I'll be working here for the meantime."

"All are noted, Your Highness. I'll be taking my leave now."

"Thank you."

It is the empress's turn to leave the hospital by early in the morning. She gently taps the napping prince on his shoulder to bid good bye.

"I need to go back to the palace now and take charge while your father is away. Inform me immediately when she wakes up," Empress Marianne says.

"Yes, Mother. Thank you for staying with us."

"C.C. is like my own daughter, too. I do not want anything bad to happen to her again. But Lelouch..." Her usual cheerful and teasing personality is gone and is replaced by a serious and solemn one. "We are going to talk about this with your father. Everything that happened before the situation got to this and your plans with Mao, do you understand?"

The prince politely nods. "Yes, Mother."

The empress stares at him briefly before going to the still sleeping patient and places a kiss on her forehead.

"I'll see you later, dear. Take your time to heal. We'll be waiting for you."

Lelouch is not able to go back to sleep after the conversation with his mother so he decides to take an early shower and breakfast then proceeds to review the documents that his secretary, Villeta, brought him a couple of hours ago. All the while frequently checking on C.C.'s condition, making sure that the heart monitor is still beeping.

Sometimes, he will get lost staring at her peaceful face before catching himself and resumes reading his papers.

One moment he stops completely and just sits by her side while holding her left hand. He is worried on how cold her palm feels so rubs his hands together and encloses hers in between them to give her some heat.

"You're going to be spoiled big time when you wake up. You'll like that, won't you?" He watches her chest rise and fall. "Just don't give me a very hard time." He sighs. "I take that back. Please continue giving me a hard time, continue teasing me and making my head ache. I would like to hear your voice always."

It is not another couple of hours after finally,  _finally_ , Lelouch gazes into a pair of golden eyes once again.

And he feels that his world resumes turning again.

* * *

White.

The first thing she sees is the color white. The color of clouds in a warm sunny day. But she isn't looking at clouds. It takes time for her mind to process that what she is staring at is a white ceiling and not the sky.

"C.C.?"

Weakly, she turns her head to the source of the voice and is met by excited and hopeful amethyst eyes.

"Le..."

Her voice sounds guttural and her throat hurts.

"Wait. Here, drink some water first."

His hand gently guides her head as she takes small gulps of water. The feeling of being in a state of thirst for centuries overwhelms her – like she had been travelling in the hottest desert and just found an oasis. She immediately feels better after drinking.

"I already called the doctor. How are you feeling?"

"I..." She clears her throat. "I'm alive?"

"You are alive."

_Oh._

Dazedly looking around, she takes note that she is indeed inside a hospital, the palace's hospital to be exact where she had gone for a couple of times during her childhood days for broken bones and wounds she had acquired because of her careless and dangerous games.

"How?" she asks. She notices the strained feeling on her right shoulder.

"Suzaku found you in the forest... I'll tell you the details later, okay? Do not worry yourself with that for now."

"Mao?"

"Away from you."

The doctor arrives and immediately checks C.C.'s shoulder, feet, blood pressure and asks her questions regarding her physical state.

Throughout the whole process of pointing flash light at her eyes and mouth, she can feel the intense stare of the prince that is fully directed at her.

"Everything is fine with her body except for the injuries on her shoulder and feet that will take about a month to heal. But in terms of her bodily functions, they all turned out normal. The blood she had loss was already replaced. She will still be under observation but we are looking forward for Lady C.C. to be released by next week."

Lelouch visibly exhales. "Thank you, Doctor Asplund."

"You're welcome, Your Highness. Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

The prince turns to her and she shakes her head in response.

"That will be all for now. We'll let you know if we needed something."

As soon as they are left alone in the room, Lelouch immediately fusses over her.

"Are you sure you are okay?"

"Do you feel any pain right now?"

"Are you hungry? You are still required a certain diet, but Doctor Asplund mentioned that you can take other foods by small amount. What do you want to eat?"

"Do you feel dizzy? Maybe, you must lie down and get more rest."

"Is there something that you want to watch in the television?"

She watches when he stands up for the eighth time to get the remote and turn on the television.

When he is about to stand again to do who knows what, she grabs his wrist firmly and says, "Lelouch, I'm fine. Just sit here beside me, will you?"

The prince furrows his eyebrows. "Are you sure? I think the air conditioner is not working well."

She gives him a reassuring smile. "I am very much certain. And the temperature is okay, too. So please, settle beside me?" She moves a little to spare him enough space on the bed and pats the sheet.

Carefully, Lelouch lifts the blanket and sits beside her. She holds his hand and gives it a squeeze.

"Much better," Closing her eyes, she leans her head on his shoulder and she could feel how stiff he is being. "Lelouch, relax. I'm fine."

"You're fine."

"Mmm-hmmm."

They stay like that for a few minutes until Lelouch finally loosens up, his shoulders drop low making it possible for C.C. to place her chin on his right one.

"Have you slept? There are bags under your eyes." She observes his side profile as he continues to roam his eyes around the room as if on high guard.

"I napped for a few hours then attended to a couple of pending documents." He gestures to a desk by the corner where a thick pile of papers lie on top.

"You should rest."

He shakes his head. "I'm okay. Don't worry about me. You're the one who I want to make sure is okay."

"I really am. I guess I'm a little bit, ah..." her voice wobbles, "... I'm a little bit shock that I survive."

The prince whips his head so fast taking C.C. by surprise. His face is suddenly so close, so clear.

"I'll drag you back in this world if your soul ever attempts to cross the afterlife."

The life, the energy in his amethyst eyes mesmerized C.C. so much that she remains staring at him for a few seconds in enchantment. These amethyst eyes which are always passionate, alive and transparent. Is it possible to miss something that you haven't seen for just a day?

For her, it is.

For her, she had thought that she wouldn't be able to bask in their beauty again.

He is full of life.

She is alive.

She touches the frown on his lips and whispers, "You're beautiful, have I told you that?"

A blush emerges on his cheeks. "I-I don't think so."

"Well, you are. And I have more important things to tell you, I just need the right words to say them."

"Try me," Lelouch invites.

"You are my special person."

Suddenly everything is soundless and frozen. C.C. tries not to squirm under the intense gaze of the prince, her heart fluttering. It beats harder when he says, "I'll kiss you if you don't look away."

She looks down. She feels him sigh deeply and leans his head on top of hers.

"Cera, dear Cera, I am so happy you are alive."

* * *

The visitors start coming by noon led by the empress and the royal twins. With fruits and flowers with them, they cheerfully greet her with the twins almost crowding the bed.

"We're so happy that you are alright. When Mother told us about the incident this morning, we wanted to go here at once but they told us that you were not yet awake," Nunnally tells her in a single breath.

"Whoever that Mao is, he is such an evil person and I hope he rots in Hell," Rolo says through gritted teeth.

C.C. glances beyond his shoulder where Marianne is standing. The empress gives her a light nod in response to her unspoken question.

_So the twins knew about the situation, but the question is how much do they know?_

Returning her attention to  _her_ children, she bestows them a reassuring smile. "I hope so, too, Rolo. But let's not talk about it anymore, I am certain that the police is already dealing with him, right, Lelouch?"

"Yes."

"What I wanted to know is what you have been doing while I was away. Tell me something interesting."

Nunnally beams. "Classes already resumed and Rolo has a crush on one of our classmates."

"I do not!" the boy contested.

"He does! Her name is Gabrielle. She has straight long brown hair and eyes of ice. Yesterday, Rolo asked sjddhdjkh - "

Her muffled words are very hard to understand after Rolo puts his hand on Nunnally's mouth.

"I don't have a crush on anyone. I don't have time for that." Yet his cheeks are as red as apples. And it becomes redder when C.C. starts teasing him.

"It is just normal, Rolo. You are a growing man. Tell me, when are you going to introduce her to us? I need to check what this girl has to make you flustered this way."

"Stop it, Lady C.C. Brother please help me."

But the older prince pretends to check his watch and walks away.

"I have a picture of her in my phone," Nunnally announces once she triumphantly removed the hand on her face. Surrendering to his fate that the women infront of him are indeed unstoppable and uncontrollable, Rolo crosses his arms and sulks at the corner.

"Oh, she's pretty. She looks a bit sheltered, though."

"Gabrielle is our class representative. Rolo is very good at choosing his crush."

"And what about you, Nunnally? Does anyone catch your attention?"

"Uhmmmm..."

From across the room, a terrified shout from a certain black-haired prince echoes. "Nunnally?! You are not allowed to date until you are 30!"

"There's this boy who gave me a letter yesterday," she shyly tells.

"WHAT?!" The voice is getting nearer.

"Why didn't I know about this?" Rolo huffs.

"Because you are busy staring at Gabrielle."

C.C. interjects, "What does the letter say?"

"What's the name of the boy?"

"He said he liked my hairpin."

"Age? Where does he live?"

"And did you write to him back?"

"No. I just said thanks personally."

"From which family did he come from? What's his educational history? Do you know his family tree?"

"Oh, Lelouch shut up!"

The empress lightly hits the prince's shoulder with the magazine she is reading and drags him to a corner where she reprimands him for overreacting just like his father.

The twins begin laughing at the helpless and pitiful case of their protective brother and the scene - the heartwarming, cheerful and hopeful scene - is more than enough for C.C. to thank all of the Highest Powers that she survived.

* * *

"I want you to name all of the 98 emperors of Britannia strictly in chronological order. Every wrong answer will result to a whipping on your back."

Suzaku shows off the whip by hitting the ground of the cell hard causing the small but sharp blades attached to hit shine in the dark.

Mao's purple eyes widen in fear upon seeing the means of punishment. The top of his white prisoner clothes was removed and his pale back is in full view of every guard and prisoner of the cell as he leans over a small bench. His hands are in cuffs infront of him.

"Start now!"

"A... Arthur I?"

"Wrong!"

As fast as lightning, Suzaku puts all his strength in his right arm as it swings down to Mao's back. The whip gets stuck on his skin as soon as it landed and blood starts trailing down his back. Then without any warning, he pulls the whip up causing the blood to splatter in the air and some skin to go with it. Mao's agonizing and pained scream shrills outside the cell.

"Next?" Suzaku calmly asks.

"H-Henry I?"

"Wrong again." Another whipping, but this time the knight aims it at his side making the whip wraps around Mao's stomach.

The prisoner gasps for air as Suzaku painstakingly removes the rope around him. It leaves red scraps and punctures of random patter on his skin.

"I don't know! I only know Charles!"

Of course he doesn't. Lelouch is right with his assumption. The very reason that he had crossed C.C.'s path was because he was not good at History and it looks like he had never learned a thing during those tutorial sessions and must only be busy thinking of malicious things about his tutor. Disgusting bastard.

Looking down at him coldly, Suzaku appreciates his honesty. "Well then, you just saved me from wasting my voice. I'll advance to the 90 more whips. Hope you are ready."

Just on the 15th whip, Mao is already catching his breath.

On the 25th, he is begging for Suzaku to stop. His pleads fall on deaf ears.

On the 40th, the once gray floor is painted with red as Mao's blood flow into each crevasse.

Suzaku takes a break after the 50th, resting his arm for a few minutes from exerting so much energy from swinging up and down.

Mao loses his voice on the 64th and only soft whimpers come out of him. His eyes are almost closing and dazed.

Suzaku stops on the 90th. "Lelouch requested to have the last eight whips saved for him. There will also be a special whip made only for that event."

When the man was not able to respond, Suzaku turns around to wash his hands in the basin and talks to the medic outside the cell. "Wrap a bandage around him. We can't have him dying immediately from blood loss."

"Yes, Sir!"

"L-Lelouch?"

Turning back, Suzaku raises an eyebrow and waits for more words but they don't come. Mao remains silent on the bench like a worn-out rag doll that was overplayed and forgotten.

He deserves it, the knight thinks. Every pain he is feeling, he deserves it. Suzaku almost lost his best friend because of him twice. This is their revenge.

Leaving the cells, the knight retrieves a paper from his pocket where a list of tortures was handwritten by the prince himself. He scans the list and checks the needed materials. Tomorrow he will need gallons of boiling hot water. Then a set of knives used in carnival. He shakes his head. His friend was so creative in making this list. Suzaku isn't certain if Mao could survive this all. But he must live through just like what Lelouch said. For there will be no satisfaction if Mao won't feel the pain because he is dead.

* * *

Charles zi Britannia watches his son being restless and agitated just from being in a different room from hers. His eyes often dart to the door that separates them from C.C.'s hospital room. They left Suzaku and Euphemia with her as company and a number of guards outside but still, the emperor can see how worried and uncomfortable Lelouch is being just by not seeing the lady. The emperor is starting to worry about him.

"I can't say that I am impressed with the choices you made, in fact, they are reckless and dangerous not only for yourself but also for the empire. But we've already reached this point where people got hurt and the only way is to move forward. Now tell me, son, what are your future plans for Mao?"

"I would like to ask a question first, Father. Have you told the Chinese Federation about this progress?"

Charles shakes his head. "Not yet. I was already in the plane when I received the call from your mother, and I would like to assess the situation here first before relaying information to them."

"I see. Suzaku is temporarily in-charge with Mao while I am here in the hospital. But I would like to ask for a week with him starting from when C.C. is released before we turn him over to China."

"And what is Suzaku doing with him?"

The prince answers without pausing. "He is preparing that bastard for our meeting."

The emperor sees the strong resolve in his son's eyes and it is quite clear that no matter what objection he would make, Lelouch will find a way to get revenge for the pain that C.C. had suffered from Mao.

His son had never specified it, but Charles has a strong hunch that Mao is not currently enjoying a pampered and relaxed life right now. Is he against the prince's actions? Perhaps, yes. Justice is one of the most vital foundations of a good government. But what really is justice? Is it letting the system handle the crimes an individual did to you personally? Is it letting the law be the judge of all the wrongdoings in the society when the law itself is flawed and lacking? Or does justice live in the ancient times when it was in the form of the saying, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" which clearly is what Lelouch is doing? When is it considered that the punishment of the perpetrator had equaled the suffering of the victim?

Perhaps, yes, he is against Lelouch's method of justice. Charles worries that this might root a dark side of the prince that he may carry until he is the emperor of the land. The emperor is afraid of the possibility of a wrong sense of justice during the prince's regime. Oh, does he really doubt the morale of his son?

But he understands. Charles deeply understands the anguish of Lelouch for he himself was there during the aftermath of the first attempt in C.C.'s life. He and Marianne alternated on taking care of her in the hospital at the same time pursuing the cases against Mao. He was there when the young lady did not wake up for a week and only breathed through the assistance of an oxygen tank.

And he can perfectly imagine Lelouch's expression if he was there to witness it all.

That's why Charles understands his son.

"A week you say?" he inquires.

"Yes, Father."

"Well then, a week it is. But that's it. I won't grant any request for extension, and Mao should be alive when we turn him over to the Chinese Federation."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you, Father."

Staring at his son intently, the emperor says, "You don't have to thank me. But Lelouch this is just for this situation. I won't tolerate any act of violence that will be coming from your own hands, do you understand?"

Lelouch nods grimly. "I understand."

"Alright. You may go back to her."

The prince just gives him a bow before quickly exiting the room. The emperor lets out a tired sigh.

His children are growing up so fast. It was not long ago when they were so little - dependent to him and Marianne - and so innocent of the dark and twisted ways of the society. But now… now they are capable of exacting justice from their own hands.

Oh how fast time flies.

Oh, he hopes they age well.

* * *

When C.C. wakes up in the middle of the night, she is surprised to see Lelouch still awake and gazing out the window like a keen watchdog.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" she asks.

The prince glances at her and answers, "I tried to but sleep won't visit me tonight. Maybe it's because hospitals unsettle me. How about you? Do you need something?"

C.C. shakes her head. "No. My shoulder is bothering me for a little bit."

"I'll call the nurse then."

"You don't have to. It's nothing serious. I was just not used to sleeping with a sling."

"Are you sure? We can have it checked for assurance."

C.C. stares at him worriedly. How many times had he asked that same question for today? Four? Ten? How many times today that she found him bothered and restless? All the time.

"Come here, Lelouch."

Hesitantly, the prince sits down on the bed.

"Lie down."

"But - "

"Sssshh. There's enough space for us."

When Lelouch is finally settled and comfortable beside her, she holds his hand once again just like what she did earlier.

"Remember when I was ten, I got confined here, too, for a minor concussion?"

"Yeah. You fell from climbing the tallest tree in Aries Villa and hit your head on the ground," he grumbles.

"I was here for ten days because several tests were needed to be done in assuring that there was no permanent damage. Lelouch, what did you do during those times?"

The prince stares up at the ceiling as he tries to recall the events that happened almost ten years ago.

"I remember insisting to stay here, but classes were ongoing then so Mother didn't allow me."

"But whenever you visited, I was here."

The prince nods.

"And after ten days, you found me inside your room eating pizza once school let out."

Another nod.

"It is the same now, I won't disappear so you can relax."

"You won't disappear."

"That's right. Now, close your eyes."

"Okay."

C.C. watches Lelouch as he lets himself succumb into sleep. The wrinkles and bags under his eyes form a great contrast against his fair skin that she couldn't help but worry about him. Silly boy, he is making her worry about him more than she worries about her injuries and the recent incident.

But it's alright. As long as they are together, everything is alright.

She only allows herself to sleep when the hand that is tightly squeezing hers loosens its hold telling that the sleeping prince finally and thankfully enters dreamland.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

" _I'm sorry, Lelouch, but she didn't make it. She had lost so much blood."_

_No._

" _She isn't breathing. Lelouch, C.C. isn't breathing!"_

_No._

" _Why didn't you save her big brother? You're always too late!"_

_Stop._

" _This is my good bye, Lelouch. Let's see each other again."_

_Don't go._

_He tries to shout, to scream, and follow her but his lips are sealed and his feet are stuck on the ground._ _He looks down and finds chains around his ankles._

_She's disappearing. Her back is slowly fading away._

_Wait!_

_She turns her head and shows him an ambiguous smile._

_Stop walking away! Wait, Cera!_

_He lifts his hand and tries to reach her but it is no use. She is already so far, too far and translucent. Why is she translucent? Why can he see through her?_

" _Because I am dead, Lelouch. What you are seeing is my soul. You have to let go."_

_No!_

_No!_

_Let him speak, please._

_Don't go, C.C.!_

"Don't leave me!"

Lelouch gasps for air desperately, his chest rises and falls like he just run a marathon. He grabs his hair and realizes that he is sweating so hard. What was that? A nightmare? But if felt so real. It felt like he really was losing her forever.

"Lelouch? What happened?"

Relief washes over him as soon as he hears her voice. When he feels her touch his hand, he can finally breathe normally again.

He slowly turns and sees her sitting beside him, a book on her lap. The bright sunlight creates a golden halo around her rivaling her own golden worried eyes. Just like an angel. He shakes his head. No, she can't be an angel yet.

"A nightmare. "

"Who is leaving?"

You. But he can't tell her that and make her worry again. She has been worrying about him these past four days of her stay in the hospital when she should just be focusing on getting better.

He gives her a false smile. "I can't remember. Anyway, have you eaten? You should have waken me up." He glances at the clock. It's nine in the morning. "It's late."

"I already ate. Marianne and the nurse came here a while ago. She brought meals for you." She gestures to a basket on top of the long table.

"I see. I'll just wash up. Call me at once when you need me, okay?"

"Okay."

Gathering his change of clothes, he proceeds to the bathroom and takes a shower to clear his head. He needs to get it together for he has just started. He hasn't even faced Mao properly and he can't show up before him weak and unstable. As soon as he is finished, he makes an important call.

"Lelouch?"

"Suzaku, how are things over there?" he asks as he inspects his unshaven chin on the mirror. It feels rough and itchy under his fingers.

"Everything is quite normal. Gino and Xingke finished their reports. I'll deliver it personally later."

"I see. And Mao?"

"Alive enough to go through another day, but his body is too bruised and wounded now. I actually just got out of his cell."

Lelouch gets the shaver from the cabinet above the mirror and turns it on. "Good. Let me talk to him."

"Okay."

From the other side, he hears footsteps then the sound of scraping metals. Putting his phone on speaker, he evenly applies shaving cream on the lower part of his face as Suzaku's voice returns but the knight isn't talking to him. "Lelouch wants to talk to you."

A grunt in response.

"You can speak now, Lelouch, though I can't assure you that he will respond."

"Fine by me… Mao, it's me Lelouch. How are you?"

No response.

"Do you still have ten fingers on you? Oh, wait, it's the fourth day. I shall correct my question then. How does it feel to lose your fingernails one by one?" He starts shaving the skin under his chin and the tingling sensation compliments his slowly boiling blood from within. "Does it hurt like hell as Suzaku pull your nail agonizingly slow that you can feel the root detaching from your flesh deliberately?"

A whimper.

"I wonder how loud your scream was during the whole process, or perhaps you have already lost your voice long ago, hmmm?"

Silence.

"I see." Lelouch narrows his eyes and concentrates on shaving the thin skin of his lower cheeks. This is the part which he always cut if he is careless. "I heard that you were still able to stand after getting soaked with hot water the other day. I admire your resiliency, but I wonder how long it will last because I am just starting. We're not even at the tip of the iceberg yet."

"…C.?"

"What is it?"

"H-How… is C.C.?" Mao asks so weakly.

Lelouch stops shaving and turns off the device. Calmly, he places it at the top of the sink and answers, "C.C. is dead to you. You killed her and you cannot bring her back. It is your fault that you lost her, your own hands have her blood on them."

"N-No."

"Yes." He grips the edge of the sink tightly and stares at his dark reflection. "And you will never see her again. Ever. You will not speak of her name nor think of her. You lost your right to breathe the same air the moment you began thinking of and planning evil things that you wanted to do to her. Do you understand?"

"S-Stop!"

"She is not existing in your world now and you will stop existing on hers. Permanently."

"That's not true! I love her! We will be together!"

"Really? But she chose me, remember? She didn't choose you and she will never choose you, Mao. It will be me and only me."

And he disconnects the call while Mao is screaming at the other side. It's quite exhausting, playing mind games with him, but it's the purest form of torture to a psychopath like Mao. He just feels guilty though, that he needed to use C.C.'s name to taunt him. If only there is another way to mess with his mind, he would gladly take it. But C.C. is Mao's world. It is only through her that he can destroy him. Into pieces.

Once he is done in the bathroom, he returns to the room where C.C. asks him for a walk outside.

Or more likely, Lelouch is pushing her wheelchair to the hospital garden for the wounds on her feet are not yet healed.

The warm sun ray feels so refreshing after being stuck in the air conditioned room for four days. Being under it also makes Lelouch realize how paler C.C.'s skin have become. She looks transparent under the sun light, almost like a ghost.

They settle on a bench where Lelouch parks the wheelchair beside it and assists C.C. on sitting beside him. There is a moment of peaceful silence before C.C. asks  _the_ question.

"I think it's time for you to tell me the truth. What happened to Mao, Lelouch?"

The prince looks out at the great expanse of the garden. They are the only people here. The hospital was ordered to make this area off limits to the other patients to prevent leakage of the situation to the public. The media won't also be able to penetrate the heightened security in the hospital.

Without glancing at her, he answers, "As I've told you before, he is away from you."

"But where? Is he in police custody?"

He doesn't answer.

C.C. then asks slowly, "Are the police even involved? No one from the police has asked for my testimony yet and it's been four days. Lelouch… why were you in the vicinity of the rest house that night? Look at me."

He looks at her.

"Where is he, Lelouch?" she pleads.

"You don't have to stress yourself over this matter. Let me handle him."

"So you do have him."

The prince stiffens. He has been careless.

It C.C.'s turn to look away and stare at the little fountain in the middle of the garden. "What do you plan to do with him?" She laughs a bitter laugh. "I'm asking the wrong question. What have you been doing to him?"

"C.C..."

"Are you staining your hands with his blood? Does his misery flow in your veins now? Do you feel satisfied hearing him in pain?"

"He deserves all the pain and misery he is experiencing right now. We found evidence against him enough to make a man curse him to Hell."

"'We'? Let me guess, Suzaku is in this, too." She shakes her head with a smile then whispers, "I don't like this."

_What?_ Of all people, he thought C.C. would understand his actions the most. But what is this?

Lelouch stands up infront of her and spreads his arms. "Don't you want to have your revenge after almost killing you twice? Don't you want to make him suffer just like how you had suffered when you thought you're going to die? He stalked you, invaded your privacy, and left a permanent scar on you, C.C. A permanent scar, for God's sake, that almost killed you!"

C.C. looks up to him, her amber eyes burning with emotions. "I want to, Lelouch, but not like this. Not when you're going to be a bad person - a monster, because of me."

"All of us have their dark sides and this is mine. This is the only method that I know and if you can't accept that, well, I'm sorry but I'm not going to stop until he is barely breathing and pleading on his hands and knees."

"I didn't ask for this. You're the one who decided everything."

He clasps his trembling hands behind him and stares down at her, his heart beating rapidly with this whirlwind of emotions because why can't she understand his feelings? "You should have been thankful that we found you just in time or else - "

" - or else I would be dead by now, right?"

Wait.

"So I owe you my life now, Lelouch? Well, thank you very much then. You are my hero, my savior. Should I built a statue for you?" she sarcastically says but the hurt in her eyes is clear and undeniable.

"That's not what - "

"I'm going in."

He quickly tries to assist her when she attempts to stand up but the lady glares at him. Uselessly standing there, he watches her walk on her tiptoes until she is able to sit on the wheelchair.

With only one hand, she maneuvers the chair but it is obvious that the act is too difficult for her to do.

Grabbing the handle, the prince bends down and silently asks, "Let me do this please."

C.C. doesn't move for a while for a few seconds before nodding.

The walk back to the room is both quiet and solemn. Lelouch's mind is suddenly blank and without noticing it, they are by the bed and C.C. is refusing his help again.

"I need time to think," she says without looking at him.

Lelouch nods numbly. "I'll just be on the other room. If you - "

"I'm fine."

"Okay."

It's odd, but the prince does not feel anything. He does not feel angry, sad, or resentful regarding C.C.'s disagreement with his actions. Instead, there's a void in his chest that fuels him to move and continue what he has been doing without thinking of what other people will say. Even, C.C. Even though she is clearly mad at him. But no, he calls Suzaku while signing some papers and inquires what time he will deliver the reports.

When the knight comes in the afternoon with a confused look on his face clearly sensing that something is going on between his two friends, Lelouch just shrugs and lays out the plans for the following days.

The next day, the prince and the witch barely say a word to each other. When the twins come to visit at noon, they both pretend that everything is normal.

C.C., however seems to find an easier way to avoid him by sleeping too much, Lelouch is actually worried her body clock is already messed up.

This charade goes on until their last day in the hospital and finally,  _finally,_ C.C. is released.

What should be a happy and celebratory occasion becomes strained and cold between them, and by now, even the Royal Family notices the awkwardness in the atmosphere whenever they are around each other.

And with C.C. returning to her old room, the empress couldn't help but pull her son to the library and ask him what the problem is.

Lelouch sighs. He feels exhausted these past few days. Since they are not talking to each other to be exact. A heavy feeling had permanently settled on his shoulders making him tired all the time. He could blame the pending documents to which he poured most of his times lately but he knows that's not the real reason why.

"What's the matter between you and C.C.?" his mother worriedly inquires.

Lelouch looks down and gets distracted by the white feather on the floor.  _Where did that come from?_

"She doesn't agree with what I am doing with Mao."

"I don't either."

The prince looks up and it takes everything to not roll his eyes if only it is not deemed disrespectful. "Well, thank you for the vote of confidence, Mother."

It is the empress's turn to sigh.

"You need to determine which truly is your intention of exacting violence for another violence. Are you doing this for C.C. or does your personal vendetta have trumped your sight?"

"What do you mean? Of course I am doing this for C.C. - for Cera. I love her dearly, Mother, and I wouldn't let anything bad that was done to her just passed by like a wind."

The blunt, unexpected and somewhat light declaration of endearment on the part of the prince evidently surprises the Empress that she is rendered speechless for a moment before resuming the conversation.

She touches her son's stiff shoulder and wonders if he really is taking everything smoothly just as what he had been showing them.

"Perhaps, a moment of separation between the two of you is necessary to collect your thoughts and emotions. The incident is clearly taking its toll on you emotionally. Your sole focus these past weeks has been her and Mao. Isn't it time that you let yourself think of your well-being?"

Lelouch grumbles. "How can I do that when I am just about to start confronting Mao? I... I get why she's mad at me. I get it. But why can't she understand where I am coming from? Of all people, she should have understood the most, Mother." He slumps on the chair and holds his head in between his hands.

"What exactly did she tell you?"

"That she didn't like it if it would turn me into a monster of a person. But I've come so far. I've got Mao vulnerable in my hands."

He doesn't witness the soft smile that appears on his mother's face nor the endearing look that graces her purple eyes. Suddenly, she feels calm and assured upon hearing his words. She is certain by then, that their dear Cera will take good care of the future emperor.

Quietly, she goes to her son and pulls her head to her stomach where he was once nurtured and treasured. Running her fingers through his raven hair, she says, "Love is such a complicated thing isn't it? It brings out the best and worst part of ourselves. It is a struggle but it also offers the sweetest victory. You just have to hold on, Lelouch. If she is worth it, you have to hold on."

"She is," he whispers.

Oh, she is about to tear up. At this moment, it completely dawns on Marianne that her first-borne is not a baby anymore - that he had grown to be a gentleman, the future emperor of Britannia, and who is inlove with his best friend. Ah, her children are growing up too fast. The empress suddenly feels sad.

After that heartwarming conversation with the empress, Lelouch stands infront of C.C.'s closed door wondering if she is having a good rest to ease the pain her injuries have been causing. He wonders if her personal nurse is being attentive on her needs properly. He hasn't seen her eat any pizza, he should ask the chef to cook one tomorrow.

He stands there and wonders why, aside from that little rant he did to his mother, he still feels determined to finish what he had started even though it will lead him farther away from her.

Perhaps the empress is right about him being trumped by his own vendetta. Perhaps he is doing it for his own peace of mind for when Mao completely breaks in his hands, he can absolutely assure C.C.'s safety for a while, if not forever.

Perhaps, he is being completely selfish with all of these.

Sighing, he leaves and proceeds to his room where he rests for a few hours before going down to the cells to finally face Mao.

* * *

"Euphy, how is your relationship with Suzaku?"

The pink-haired girl looks up from the blue glove that she is knitting and stares curiously at C.C., surprised with the unexpected question coming from her companion.

Tapping her cheek, she says thoughtfully, "Well, we get along so well. Every time spent with him felt like my heart would burst. But the good and giddy kind of burst, you know what I mean? He is so caring and gentle to me, too, and I really like that." An adorable blush peppers her cheeks that C.C. cannot help but smile fondly at the duchess.

"Is he treating you right?"

"Yes."

"Hmmmm… But what happen when you fight? I mean, you fight, right?"

"Well of course! But not the heavy kind of fight. We had little misunderstandings here and there but we quickly reconcile."

C.C. nods. "I see." Of course, a couple as bright and cheerful as Suzaku and Euphy won't have a problem as dark as hers and Lelouch's. Wait, they are not a couple yet, why is she talking like this?

Peeking at her with worried eyes, Euphy inquires, "Why C.C.? Don't tell me that you have a secret boyfriend and you're having a fight now? Who is he?"

She just raises an eyebrow. "I don't have a boyfriend. I'm just curious, that's all."

"Huh, but I noticed that you and Lelouch are not in speaking terms these past few days," she huffs. "Did something happen?"

She shrugs and looks out the window of her room. It's unusually bright for an afternoon today.

"Is he being rude to you even though you're injured?"

She shakes her head.

"Does he continue to nag and scold you?"

She shakes her head.

"Oh, I know! He refused to buy you pizza! Ugh, how can he be so inconsiderate?"

"That's not it." She clears her throat.

"Huh? Oh, uhmmm, what about… C.C.? C.C. why are you crying?"

The duchess immediately sits by her side and rubs her back. C.C. cannot believe it. She is actually crying infront of other people because of a boy – because of a stupidly stubborn yet remarkable boy. But her heart has been heavy and dull ever since their last conversation and she has been holding her emotions back just to make them believe that everything is okay. But fighting with and not talking to Lelouch for days is not very much okay in her dictionary.

"It's that serious?" Euphy whispers.

Not able to utter a word, C.C. simply nods.

"Whose fault is it?"

"I... I don't know."

Euphy feels overwhelmed with the sudden display of emotion of her friend. For as long as she had known her, this is the first time she had seen C.C. cry. C.C. who is almost always nonchalant about the things around her, who Euphy always considers more of an observant who finds amusement in awkward situations. The duchess is out of her league here yet somehow, she feels honored that her friend chooses to confide to her. So she tries her best to give her a helpful advise.

"Whatever it is about, I'm pretty sure the both of you would meet halfway in the end. I mean, it's  _the_  two of you. But..." Kind old Euphy retrieves her handkerchief from her pocket and gently wipes C.C.'s tears away. "But it must have been painful for the both of you to not talk this long especially with the recent events. I think... You must be honest with your feelings for you to truly touch someone's heart. I see that my cousin is struggling, too, yet you two chose to avoid the subject and hold everything in. C.C..." Holding her face in her hands, Euphy advises, "Sometimes you need to let go."

That night, C.C. hugs Cheese-kun so tightly and pretends another warm body is lying beside her. The urge to go to his room and to lie on his bed is so strong she finds her hand wrapped around the knob before stopping herself.

When she goes back to bed, she contemplates on every harmful thing Mao had done to her and tries to put her feet on Lelouch's shoes.

Yes, she might have reacted the same as him - resentful, furious, and vengeful. But will she resolve to violence just to equalize the pain he had experienced? C.C. doesn't know. She may be. She's not a thoroughly righteous person anyway. Flaws and imperfections marred her skin. But knowing that her action might hurt Lelouch, too is enough for her not to continue with it. And the prince does the opposite of that.

But she also said those ungrateful things to him. She is thankful, truly, genuinely thankful to him and Suzaku for saving her life, but instead, what did she do? She threw those words at him like an accusation - as if them saving her is nothing but a nuisance. The way his eyes dulled told her that the damage had been done.

Ah, her heart hurts.

Perhaps she is being selfish with how she only thinks of the guilt herself is carrying for being the cause of Lelouch's actions. Selfish for refusing to accept that he indeed is capable of doing these and that the kind, thoughtful prince she had known since childhood possesses a darker side even she cannot penetrate.

Perhaps she is too selfish to want to protect him from himself.

C.C. eventually falls asleep with thoughts of selfishness, what if's and Lelouch clouding her mind.

* * *

Lelouch vi Britannia is not a violent person. Never in his life has he lay his hands upon someone because of intense anger and disappointment no matter how rational it could be. His twin siblings look up to him as a gentle and understanding older brother whom they can come to for their problems and doubts. The emperor and the empress had trusted him to make wise decisions for their country because as they stated before, he has a leveled head open to understand the workings of the government, the people and the land.

But tonight, Lelouch vi Britannia will stop being gentle. Tonight, the prince will cease to be understanding to any appeal the white haired man slumped infront of him will ask.

Tonight, Lelouch vi Britannia will wear a mask of violence.

As he retrieves the whip from the boiling water especially customized for this confrontation - with hot melted shards of glass attached to its length, the prince looks down at Mao and all he could think of is,  _I'm sorry, Cera, but I don't feel an ounce of pity for this bastard_.

And with all his strength, he whips him so hard that Mao's back arcs to more than 90° and his painful howl echoes in the middle of the night. The melted glasses leave red marks on his skin, while some of the shards never leave his skin.

The prince dips the whip back into the hot water and stares down at the pathetic figure on the floor.

Pity? Mao doesn't deserve any pity when all Lelouch can think of whenever he lays his eyes on him are C.C.'s scar on her chest that he even hadn't seen, those disrespectful pictures of hers, the way her eyes had wondered how she had survived losing so much blood during the first attack, and her bloody unconscious image when Suzaku found her.

Pity? There is no room for pity here. Only raw, unadulterated vengeance.

Oh, C.C. is going to hate him more. She might not consider him as a suitor after this. Now, that would be a pity.

He whips him for the second time, the third, the fourth – ignorant of the wails and screams from his subject, until he has lost count and sweat is dripping from his forehead. Huh, he should have tied his hair for this. He only stops when Suzaku removes him from his trance and finds that Mao's back is red and bloody and full of raised welts.

But it does not stop there. He opens his hand and his knight places ten heavy rings which the prince wears in each of his fingers. With them on, he rains punches on Mao's face - punches digging into his flesh and bones, cracking his skin and jaw. Lelouch is not the best fighter out there, but he manages to make Mao's saliva bloody red.

And the prince never once utter C.C.'s name before him for he is serious when he said that she will be dead to the other man. In this cell, in this darkness, there is only him and Mao and revenge.

In this cell, in this darkness, blood flows from the prince's hands.

* * *

Princess Shirley is tad worried. More than a week has passed and the prince hasn't gotten back to her. Maybe he is quite busy these days. She gathers that the Britannia University will resume its classes soon and he might have been occupied by his studies being an honor student and all. Her call must have slipped his mind.

But, his situation with C.C. must have something to do with his silence. Have they addressed the issue already? Has C.C. been honest with him? But what really is the truth? Mao hasn't contacted her yet after that night and she can't reach his number, too for more than a week now. What had happened after she left? Did everything turn out alright?

The heavy feeling she had felt on their way home didn't leave her until a few days later. She tried to call C.C. but even her phone was unreachable. Shirley still worried how she was after the confrontation with Mao. To be fair, the lady had been nothing but kind and sincere to her during their brief meeting. Almost like a friend that she still couldn't believe Mao's accusation until now. She must have been mad at her for setting her up with him without any warning.

Where is Mao anyway? She had easily trusted his words and stories but now, after not being in contact with him for quite a while, she feels rather unsettled with how the things turned out.

Everyone is gone.

Everyone is unreachable.

She would have liked to call the prince again but afraid that she might come across as impatient and demanding. And perhaps, he is aware by now that she is involved to whatever happened between Mao and C.C. Oh God, he might be angry with her, too. Furious even for ruining their friendship. What should she do?

The Tianzi hasn't contacted her, too and the king is annoyed by the silence from the side of the Chinese Federation when they are about to forge the "strongest partnership among the nations". He thought she was making friends with the Tianzi but why aren't they responding to their requests lately? She even talked to the Tianzi's adviser but what happened? The king is disappointed with her daughter. When he thought that she was blooming into one good ruler, she failed to accomplish this simple task.

The pressure on Shirley's shoulders is too much for her to handle. She is trying her best, she wanted to say but by just looking up at her father's disdainful eyes – those eyes that had always looked at her kindly and fondly, she is immediately rendered silent. The queen had not said a single word to defend her that night.

Hearing Lulu's voice even for just a second will bring her strength, but all she can do now is wait.

Wait for Mao to contact her.

Wait for the Tianzi to respond to their requests.

Wait for C.C. to confront her for her association with Mao.

Wait for Lulu to call her back.

Shirley sighs. At least the king is right about one thing. She is indeed one useless princess.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Suzaku."

The mass of brown hair which is bent over a thick old book looks up upon hearing her commanding voice. She can barely read the words, "justice" and "government" on top of the page he was reading.

"C.C., what is it?"

"Take me to Mao."

Taken aback by her unexpected request, the knight could only utter a "What?"

"I said take me to Mao. And I am not asking."

"But Le -"

"I don't care what Lelouch will say. I believe I have the right to see him since I was his target and the cause of this chaos. So take me to him, Kururugi."

Once she uses his surname, Suzaku knows that she is damn serious. And she truly is. It is a must for her to see Mao and know how he is doing. Enemy or not, she must know how far he and Lelouch have come and what exact damage they have done.

Strangely, Suzaku does not lead her to the underground cells but to a familiar place where she just stayed for a week to get healed and recover two days ago.

Confused, she wordlessly follows as the knight goes to the private rooms' floor where mostly the nobilities are confined.

It was the tubes and heart monitor by the bed that catch C.C.'s attention as soon as they enter the room.

Then her eyes lay upon the thin bruised and wounded body of someone who was once a tall and built man. His white hair is spread like white petals of a flower being offered to the dead. Eyes closed, they are too swollen and blue she couldn't imagine how he can still open them. That is if he still could. Hues of black and blue, and occasionally red, mark his pale skin creating an abstract image on a blank canvass. There are also scattered wounds and scratches though some are already healing.

C.C. shakes her head in disbelief and turns to the knight beside her. "What have you done? What did the two of you have done?"

Suzaku avoids her eyes and remains silent.

"Why is he in the hospital?"

"He needs to be alive when we turn him over to the Chinese Federation so he stays here during the day and is given proper medication."

She throws her hands in the air. "Then you torture him at night. So what's the point?"

"He deserves it," Suzaku silently says.

"He deserves it?" Pointing a shaky finger on his chest, C.C. whispers, "Who are you and Lelouch to say that he deserves it? I'm the one whom he had done wrong, I believe I have more say about what he deserves and I am telling you he doesn't deserve to be tortured that way." She is trembling, her body is shaking. She wants to scream, to shout, to put some sense into Suzaku but all of her emotions only come out as a broken whisper. "I want you to stop torturing him and I am not asking. You will stop right now, do you understand Kururugi?"

A heartbeat.

"Yes, C.C."

"Say it."

"We will stop torturing, Mao no matter what the prince will say."

Covering her eyes with her hand, she lets some frustrated tears flow. "You are my best friend. And the Suzaku that I know is not someone who is capable of doing such atrocious acts, someone who does not tolerate unreasonable violence. Do you know what Euphy said about you? That you are gentle and caring. But where is that person? Can you imagine if Euphy finds out about this? Will she look at you the same way now?"

When she doesn't hear an answer, she wipes her tears and looks straight into his eyes. "I don't know the person who is standing infront of me now. My friend has left and I wonder when he will come back. Think of your actions and contemplate if you can still call yourself a respectable knight. Now, leave."

"Y-You're staying?"

"I am staying. And there's nothing for you to worry about since you left Mao in a state wherein he can't even hurt a fly."

Suzaku sighs and takes a step forward. "I am sorry for hurting your feelings. This is not all Lelouch's fault, I voluntarily agreed and joined him in exacting revenge to Mao."

"You don't have to defend him."

"I am not defending him, I'm just telling you the real situation. C.C... I am sorry if we let anger and resentment control us. But... I didn't act as the prince's knight during those evenings spent in the cell, I was your friend who was too furious after almost losing someone very important to him."

When Suzaku finally left, C.C. slumps on a chair and holds her head. What is happening to them? Why are they falling apart? In this time of crisis, they should have become much tighter and stronger but no, they are only growing farther apart. Is this her fault for being Mao's target? Did she do this to them?

C.C. stays longer inside the room more than she had wanted to. Somehow, she feels much safer with Mao than staying inside the palace where all of the torture was done.

Mao, she was once afraid of him for what he had done to her but now, she can't even look at him without feeling a tinge of guilt and pity.

Suddenly there is a stir on the bed and she slowly approaches the man. With her arms crossed - or more likely her one arm crossed - she stands steps away from him but enough for him to see that she is there.

"C...C...?"

"Mao."

The severe swelling of his eyelids only allows his eyes to open very little like two whiskers on his face. "You're alive."

"I am."

"Let's... get out of here... Come with me, C.C."

She shakes her. "No. Please stop, Mao. You do not love me and I do not love you. You have to accept that."

"That's not true."

"It is."

Mao's eyes shut close and when he clearly falls back asleep, C.C. returns to her chair and reverts to thinking.

The next time Mao awakens, he asks, "Was I even your friend?"

C.C. nods. "Yes. During those early days of the tutorial, you were a good friend of mine."

On the third time that he wakes up, Mao says, "That boy doesn't deserve you, too. Look at what he had done to me. Is that the prince you are proud of?"

"No, that is not  _my_  prince. And you should take more rest for your wounds to heal faster."

"Why are you still concerned about me after what I've done?"

"I am not concerned. I am just doing what I think is right."

After Mao closes his eyes for the fourth time, C.C. decides that it is time for her to leave and bids her last goodbye to the man who she will never see again.

She finds him sitting on the bench outside the room. Back hunched, head on his hands, not a single greeting comes from C.C. as soon as she catches a glimpse of his figure. Passing by him, she walks as if she sees nothing but the corridor and goes on to her next destination.

But the soft yet heavy footsteps that follow her until she reaches her bedroom didn't escape her notice. She takes note of how careful and calculated those footsteps are like a cat slowly approaching its master. These footsteps stop just right outside of her door and do not dare enter her room.

C.C. ceremoniously removes her ponytail and combs her long emerald hair. She then removes her earrings and bracelet placing them on the desk. Sitting at the edge of her bed, she trades her sandals to a more comfortable pair of fluffy slippers. Thank God that her feet are mostly healed. All she's going to worry now is her arm which is still in a sling.

And the boy outside her doorway.

Sighing, she stares at the peaceful scenery outside her window. Orange, pink and yellow pastels gently color the canvass that is the blue sky. Birds are starting to go back to their nests as the trees lull their leaves to sleep. Nighttime is fast approaching.

"What is it, Lelouch?" she asks without glancing at him and rather unemotionally.

It must be nice, to blend together like those colors until you don't know where one ends... until you lose your own color.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you come here at your own will or did it require Suzaku to tell you the situation before you decided to approach me?"

There was no response.

She closes her fist on her lap to keep it from trembling. "I am disappointed. Very much disappointed."

When there is still no response, C.C. continues, "What you did to Mao is more than what he did to me. Yes, he almost killed me TWICE, but slowly and continuously torturing him until he could barely open his eyes and walk on his own feet for days... For days, Lelouch, how were you able to stand it? How could you be so cold and heartless? With that, you are no different..." she shakes her head, "No, you are more monstrous than him - viler and unapologetic. I even expressed my disagreement with the whole thing yet you didn't consider my feelings," she lets out an empty laugh, "Do you really love me if you can do that to me? When you knew that it would hurt my feelings yet didn't consider them?"

She notices a single yellow flower dangling at the tip of a branch. A small bird lands on it and starts poking at the flower until it falls and gets carried by the wind and C.C. loses sight of that flower.

"Where is  _my_  Lelouch?" she whispers. "Bring him back." Her voice breaks.

"I-I'm..." he clears his throat, "I'm sorry, Cera."

Wiping the tears that manage to escape her eyes as hard as she tried to hold them back, she says, "I'm sorry, too, because I can't be with a man like that."

Silence. None of them dares to make unnecessary movements.

Then an exhale.

A soft "Okay" uttered in part disbelief and defeat.

Another exhale, this time deeper and longer.

And a more audible "Okay".

Followed by softer "Okays" as if the person muttering them is having a hard time convincing himself.

"Have a good night, C.C."

And unlike earlier, the footsteps walk away from her.

* * *

Mao was finally turned over to the custody of the Chinese Federation three days after being confined in the hospital. The ceremony was kept simple and out of the media's sight with only the key officials of both parties present including the prince and his knight.

After that, the situation in the palace slightly returns to normal. The emperor and the empress go about their usual ways of ruling the empire, the twins, being the least affected residents, remain in the dark of what had happened in the past few days, and the prince busies himself in both palace and university works in preparation for the upcoming resumption of classes. C.C. on the other hand focuses on the complete recovery of her shoulder. She also received a notice from her university in Japan about the ending of break and a letter if she is still going to take online classes.

"I'm thinking of returning to Japan probably two weeks from now," she opens up one dinner time.

The fragile sound of the utensils abruptly stops at the same time her companions look up from their plates.

It is a gloomy Nunnally who expresses her thoughts first. "Can't you take the classes here since they're online?"

C.C. kindly smiles at her. "I wish it's that simple but I still have to pass the requirements to the faculty themselves and actually… I think I'm going to stop taking them and go back to attending classes in campus."

"How about your shoulder?" Rolo asks.

"My shoulder is healing just fine. The nurse said that the sling can be removed this weekend."

Nunnally pouts. "When are you going to return?"

"Right after graduation which is like, only four months from now."

"Isn't that your graduation, too, Lelouch?"

C.C. automatically glances at him who looks up at Rolo. "Yes it is."

"Oh, oh!" To prove that she has a brilliant idea, Nunnally claps twice. "Why don't you just transfer here and graduate together with brother and Suzaku? Then we'll have the biggest celebration after!"

Not wanting to bluntly reject her idea and harshly put out the sparkle in the younger girl's eyes, C.C. says, "That would be an awesome plan. I would have loved to do that but transferring here this late would take a lot of time and work. And you already survived my being gone for three years. Four months will pass like a blink of an eye."

The twins huff which makes her laugh. "Fine."

"Oh, are you growing up into brats?" she teases.

"Well, we got Lelouch as an older brother."

"You hurt me, Rolo," Lelouch chimes in with a fake hurt expression on his face. Then the three siblings laugh together making their parents smile fondly.

The oldest one pushes his chair away from the table and excuses himself.

"You're done with dinner already?" the empress inquires.

"I'm still full from the snack I've had while working, Mother. I'll just ask the servant if I ever get hungry later."

"Can you take a break, brother? You've been spending most of your time working and studying lately that you've been missing lots of fun with us. Especially now that Lady C.C. is leaving soon, can you take a mini break and spend more time with us?" And so that Lelouch would surely give in, Nunnally shows him her puppy eyes.

C.C. waits for him to look, no, to even just spare a quick glance at her.

She waits.

_Look at me._

He smiles and ruffles Nunnally's hair. "I'll try."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Then looking around he says, "Have a good evening everyone."

And he leaves without glancing at her.

* * *

The call finally arrives that morning. The princess can't contain her emotions upon hearing his voice as the prince asks her to meet him halfway in a rented property near the border by afternoon.

Shirley, who had been waiting to hear his voice, suddenly feels restless, nervous and genuinely scared of what could possibly happen. When she thought that she is truly ready for this moment, she has the urge to call Lulu back and reschedule their meeting to a far, far away date. Oh God, her hands are cold and sweaty already.

Poor Kallen had been the receiving end of her nervousness and had been asked a thousand of times if the princess looks nice, if there is a stray powder on her face, does she look like she is going to vomit anytime from now?

_You look fine, Your Highness_ , Kallen had said.  _Just don't fidget too much and please blink, Your Highness._

They arrive at the meeting place ten minutes before the agreed time and is pleasantly(?) surprised to find the prince already waiting in the living room.

He stands behind a floor-to-ceiling window with his back to her. He wears a long black coat that is almost as black as his raven hair. Shirley smoothens her bright yellow dress which she suddenly finds to cheerful compared to his attire.

She clears her throat. "Lulu?"

Slowly, he turns around to the sound of her voice and oh my, how long had it been since she last saw him? He looks so handsome in his white polo and black coat looking like a vampire prince in a movie. Oh, she had missed him greatly.

"Princess Shirley." He gestures to the sofas. "Let us sit down."

She sits across the prince even though it is quite tempting to settle on the large empty space beside him.

"How are you, Princess?"

Him calling her back with her title does not sit well with Shirley. Plus, his unnecessary formality and politeness when she thought they'd become closer is an unwanted surprise for the lady.

"I'm doing great though there was not so much to do these past few days. And you, Lulu? How have you been?"

_What had happened in those days of silence, Lulu? What had happened between you and C.C.?_

"On the contrary, I've been busy and got stucked in the office this last week which is also the reason why I wasn't able to answer you immediately. For that, I truly apologize," the prince answers calmly.

Shirley breaths in relief. So that is the reason why it had taken him so long to call her back. He has been busy. Okay, she can accept that.

"I believe you have something you need to tell me?"

Oh, they're not going to indulge into more small talks? Wait, her heart is beating rapidly. Let her gather her thoughts first, Lulu.

"Y-Yes..." she tucks her hair behind her ear, "I asked for this meeting because I'm..." Come on, Shirley, just say it. Stop being a nervous wreck.

All of a sudden, C.C.'s words that night come back to her.

_"You need to believe in the power of love."_

That's right, she needs to firmly believe in the power of her love for him and the magic it possess. She needs to believe in herself and start proving that she is brave and courageous. She needs to believe in every possibility her confession might open.

Closing her eyes, Shirley takes in a deep calming breath and releases it slowly. When she opens her them, she confesses.

"I, Shirley Joseph Fenette, Princess of the Fenette Kingdom, am confessing to you, Lelouch vi Britannia, First Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, that I have been inlove with you. I don't know when it started but what I feel for you is genuine and true." The waiting expression and intense focus in his eyes cause her to stammer. "I-I would like t-to convey my feelings clearly and to reach your heart without any confusion. I greatly admire your love for your family and for the country, your brilliance and your sincerity. Your kindness touches my beliefs and inspires me to become a better person. So I... I would also like to thank you for treating me kindly and with respect and I am inlove with you, Lulu."

Her eyes fall on her lap and she can't hear anything except for the loud beating of her heart, she can't feel anything except for her cold and sweaty palms, and she can't see anything except her trembling hands.

Lulu hasn't said a thing.

Oh, her confession must have sounded terrible and immature!

She tries to recall what she had said but for the life of her she cannot remember a single word.

_"It is understandable because you will be baring your heart and be vulnerable to him."_

Strange how C.C.'s words keep on playing in her head and gives her strength in this situation.

When she hears Lelouch sigh, Shirley braces herself. A sigh is not a good sign.

"Thank you, Princess for telling me your feelings. I deeply appreciate your honesty and courage to bare your heart to someone like me, but..."

No. A 'but' is never a good sign.

Another sigh. "But I'm afraid that I cannot reciprocate your feelings. I am sorry, Shirley."

Shirley closes her eyes, tears threatening to escape them. How, when finally he calls her again with her name, can it be so beautiful and painful at the same time?

She knows anything can happen. She even expects for this to happen. It is actually the outcome which is more likely to happen for the prince had been nothing but friendly to her. She knows that he just treats her as a friend. Never had she felt and seen him express intentions and feelings more than that. But to hear it in words, in his voice that she likes so much - to have her fears confirmed - is like a dull knife slowly slicing her heart open.

"May I know why?"

"Being in a relationship, or even pursuing a relationship is not my priority right now. As I've mentioned, I am busy and I would like to focus on widening my knowledge and skills as of the moment. With that, I cannot wholeheartedly give someone the attention they deserve and that would be unfair to them."

"But," gaining back her courage, the princess looks up, "when the time comes that you think you are ready, will you consider my feelings? Please be honest, Lulu."

Staring at her for exactly ten seconds (yes, Shirley is counting), she waits with bated breath as Lelouch answers her question.

Lelouch looks down.

Shirley wants to cry.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to get your hopes up and waste your precious time on me, Princess. You are a very good friend, but that's where it ends. I am truly sorry."

Oh.

_Oh._

She needs to breathe.  _Shirley, breathe._

Numbly, the princess nods. "I understand... I-I understand... Can I ask one last question?"

"Yes, you can."

"Is it because someone already owns your heart and you are just waiting for her answer?"

This time, she doesn't need to wait long for his answer.

"Yes."

"I see... I see..." Through her impending tears, Shirley looks at her wrist and checks the watch that she doesn't have. "Oh, I just remembered I've got somewhere else to go." She stands so abruptly and shakily smooths her skirt that is so bright, so cheerfully yellow for her heartbreak.

"Shirley..."

Suddenly, a hand lays on her head and gently guides it to a sturdy chest.

"I'm really sorry," Lelouch whispers in her hair.

And upon hearing his soft, regretful, and apologetic voice, Shirley cries.

She couldn't get herself to ask how his currently relationship with C.C. is - if they had already talked and settled the issue - God, if there is even an issue to start with. She couldn't because just saying her name would kill her.

They stay like that for a while, standing in the middle of the living room with Lelouch's arms finally around her but for all the wrong reasons, until her sobs weaken and they are just small hiccups.

"I ruined your clothes," she says as she pulls away.

"It's fine. Are you okay?"

The worried look in his amethyst eyes makes her feel light. "I think I'm not going to be alright for a few days but I'll live. Give me some months," she laughs.

"You're a good person, Shirley. I mean that. I'm hoping that you'll find someone who deserves you."

"Thank you, Lulu. I can still call you that, right?"

He nods. "Of course."

"Well then, I guess my business here is done. I'll see you around. Take..." she breathes and savors the last moments she has with him – staring at his lovely features and basking in his presence. "Take care."

She is about to turn around when his hand holds her wrist. Her heart skips a beat. Oh, did he change his mind? A girl could only dream.

"Can I give you a friendly advice, Princess?"

Shirley nods.

"Don't believe in all the things that you hear especially if they are from someone who you just met. Try to validate the story first with the people involved to avoid misunderstandings and unpleasant incidents. This is for your safety, too."

And after that, he disappears infront of her like a smoke, like a dream. Like a vampire prince that suddenly turns into a bat and quickly flies out of the window.

And Shirley is left speechless.

* * *

When C.C. told Lelouch that she couldn't be with a man who is inconsiderate with other people's feelings and who lets himself be overcome by his darkest side, she already expected for their relationship to drastically change. After everything that had happened, they cannot simply fall back to how they were before the incident. There had been so many emotions that affected and blinded their judgments, and caused them to believe that things were done in the name of justice. But he is still her best friend. God, he is still her most special friend, her special person after all this time and it's been an unbearable week when he wouldn't even spare a brief glance at her.

Because what she didn't expect was how far away they would be from each other even though they live in the same place. When he is just within reach yet she feels like she is reaching to a void.

She misses him so badly.

"Rolo, where is your brother?" she asks while helping him do his History homework. They are lying on their stomachs on Rolo's bed.

Without looking up, the young prince chews on top of his pen before answering her question. "I heard from Suzaku that they will meet Princess Shirley earlier. In fact," he glances at his watch, "I bet they are on their way back here."

"They were meeting the princess? Why?"

Rolo shrugs. "He didn't mention the reason but it seemed quite serious. Lady C.C. did I do the timeline right?"

C.C. checks the neat timeline that the prince made and praises how detailed and accurate the entries are, all the while worrying about the prince and princess's meeting.

There's only one reason she can think why he would meet her and she is already dreading what could have happened.

Suddenly, there are knocks on the door.

"Who is it?" Rolo calls.

"It's me."

"Oh, come in, Lelouch!"

There is a slight surprise in his amethyst eyes as they accidentally land on her – slight but quick to recover and divert their attention to his brother.

"Suzaku told me that you were looking for me a while ago."

"Oh yeah. I was going to ask for help for my assignment but you were leaving so I just asked Lady C.C. instead."

"I see. Is everything okay?"

The boy nods, ignorant of the heavy atmosphere in the air. "Yup. I'm actually done."

"Well then, I'll just be in my office if you need more help."

"Got it."

As soon as Lelouch leaves, Rolo turns to her. "He's going to lock himself in the office again. Nunnally and I had been wondering what is suddenly so important that keeps him from spending his time with us. I mean, he was able to manage his time before. Can you talk to him, Lady C.C.? I'm sure he is going to listen to you."

"I'll try but I think it is best not to pressure him on how he should manage his time. I'm certain that he has a good reason."

"We just miss him."

She misses him, too.

"Rolo, is it okay if I go outside for a while? I'll be back quickly."

"Sure. Thank you for the help, Lady C.C."

By the time she finds him, he is going down the second grand staircase of the palace. She calls him once from the top of the stairs but he doesn't stop descending.

_Didn't he hear her?_

"Lelouch!"

Thankfully, this time he halts on his step and turns his body towards her. His eyes though, are looking everywhere but her.

"Yes, C.C.?"

"I… heard that you met with Princess Shirley. Where is she now? Is she okay?"

_Please, let her be alright._

Lelouch furrows his eyebrows. "'Okay' in terms of what?"

"Emotionally? Physically?"

"Emotionally, I can't assure you that she is okay after I rejected her feelings. But physically, I am certain that no scrap of wound had touched her skin."

"O-Oh… She just confessed?" she dumbly utters. "You didn't tell her the truth?"

She vaguely remembers the princess mentioning about confessing her feelings to the prince before.

"Yes, C.C. She just confessed to me. I… I don't see the point of telling her the details and hurt her more. After all, she was unaware of everything Mao had planned and thought she was doing it for good reasons. Why? What else do you think happened?"

And finally, those amethyst eyes look straight at her golden ones, but all she wants to do now is to look away. For the hurt and defeat that they mirror are so deeply-rooted to his soul.

Because what else did she think would happen during their meeting? Images of a badly-beaten Mao lying on the hospital bed immediately enter her mind but his face is replaced by the princess's innocent one.

The prince nods when she remained silent. "I think I have an idea." Sighing, he covers his face with his hands and takes a deep breath before removing them. "No, I didn't hurt her. I…" He looks at her with shining eyes. "Did you really think that I can do that to her, C.C.?" he whispers.

She quickly shakes her head. "No… no…." But they both know that she is lying. How… How did they become like this? How can she easily think badly of him just because of a single inhumane act he just did for the first time? Where did her trust in him go?

She hears him sigh in resignation. "I understand. Don't think too much about it. I'll see you around."

He had already turned his back when she shouts at him, "How can you do that when you won't even look at me?" She holds onto the banister to steady herself, her voice breaking. "Why won't you look at me, Lelouch? I – "

He answers without looking back. "Because I don't deserve to."

Huh?

He shakes his head, his voice sounding dazed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'll just be around."

She is too surprised by his answer that she isn't able to stop him once he resumes going down the stairs rather too quickly.

All this time he doesn't dare to look at her because he thinks that he doesn't deserve her?

C.C. touches her chest and tries to steady her wild heart.  _Oh boy, oh boy._

_Good Lord, this boy is going to be her undoing._

She surrenders, suddenly tired, her legs giving in, and sits on the top step.

And she prays for their pain to go away.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

He rubs the soap over his hands like a sharp knife ridding off an apple of its skin. His fingers tangling and sliding over each other - wet and slippery. He must remove them. He must clean his hands off of them. Those droplets of blood that have stained not only his hands but also his soul. It's red. So insultingly bright red - mocking him of what he had done. Red that is the color of her voice, red that is the color of punishment. Scraping his nails against his skin, he does not care if it would leave marks. Let them. Let them be red, too.

When he finishes washing, he turns off the faucet and grabs a towel. There is never a stain of red in the water nor on the sink.

Later. He'll do this again later and again and again and again until everything comes off.

But what is everything anyway. There is no such thing as everything.

* * *

The Britannian Imperial Family with the absence of the younger children and in the presence of the first prince's knight, Suzaku Kururugi and their honorary member, C.C., gather in the emperor's office and watch as the new eunuch of the Chinese Federation announces the government's decision on Mao's case publicly.

"In the name of Her Majesty, the kind and beloved Tianzi, the eunuchs find the accused, Mao, former advisor to the palace…" A wooden door at the center opens and reveals the accused dressed in a grey tunic, hands cuffed behind him and ankles shackled. His white hair is longer and greasy. His face is peppered with traces of bruises. Gripping her skirt, C.C. watches intently as this part of her life finally closes. "… is found guilty of two counts of attempted murder, physical injuries, treason, bribery, stalking, and falsification of documents. With this, the Federation came with a unanimous decision to punish the accused of death by hanging."

The audience releases a collective gasp as the guards whisk Mao out of the stage and back behind the door. There is no attempt of struggle as he walks away – only resignation on his tired, long face.

The eunuch speaks some more but C.C.'s attention is fixed to the closed door where Mao had just exited. That's it. That is the last time she would see him – with his tall body hunched over, feet heavy and slow, and skin as pale as the clouds. She looks outside. It's ironic how it is such a bright beautiful day and here they are watching a man's life end through the television. She doesn't know what to feel. She should be happy with the decision. Finally, she would not have to worry if Mao is hiding in the shadows following her every movement. But she isn't. Instead, C.C. just feels drained and tired from the whole ordeal. And guilty. She can't help but feel guilty for Mao's fate.

A hand over hers snaps her out of her thoughts. "It's over, dear," the empress tells her gently. "He won't be able to hurt you again."

C.C. could only nod. Looking around, she finds the emperor gazing at her kindly from his desk. On his side is Suzaku who has a worried expression on his face. She would ask to talk to him later. And… She finds no one sitting on the sofa which Lelouch has been occupying a while ago.

"He left right after the decision was announced," Suzaku supplies.

She looks at her lap. The queen's words echo in her head.  _It's over, dear._

It's over but why does she still feel trapped and burdened?

* * *

Suzaku Kururugi has been a part of the palace ever since he could walk. His father is the current general of Britannia's elite army while his mother is the chief editor of the family's PR team. With this, Suzaku had practically grew up in the company of royalties taught by traditions and politics. He practically grew up learning about Britannia alongside the first prince himself, ate meals with him, went to the same school as him, became his best friend and as years honed him into a worthy contender, hailed as Prince Lelouch's personal knight.

At first glance, Suzaku may seem like a carefree young man - too cheerful and relaxed to be called a knight. But when you share a special bond with the person and family you are serving, his work becomes more than just a duty but loyalty and genuine care for his second family.

It is a day after the announcement from the Chinese Federation and sitting across Lelouch in the Reading Room, Suzaku can't help but steal glances at his friend as the latter spends another day isolating himself from others. Pouring himself over books and studies that the knight is certain the prince has already memorized from cover to cover.

"So, Lelouch."

"Yes, Suzaku?" the prince answers without looking up.

"What can you say about their decision?"

"It is such a relief to know that he won't be able to escape again and hurt more people in the future."

"But does he really deserve the death penalty?"

"Suzaku…" Giving him a levelled gaze, the prince lectures him, "I believe we have learned at school that treason alone is punishable by death in most of the countries including the Chinese Federation. But Mao did more than just that. And I've gathered that the former eunuchs who had collaborated with him are also undergoing trials and are most likely be given the same punishment."

Suzaku nods. "Speaking of school, you've been studying for a couple of hours now. Why don't you take a break?"

Lelouch turns the page as if he has all the time in the world. "If you are getting bored, you are free to leave. We are inside the palace anyway, you don't need to guard me all the time. Have you gone out with Euphy this week?"

"I took her out a couple of days ago."

Lelouch nods. "That's nice to hear."

"Lelouch?"

"Suzaku?"

"I'm not here as your knight. I'm here as your friend."

Lelouch slowly looks up and gives him a depreciated smile. "Thank you. But I'm fine, really. You should enjoy yourself, especially now that classes will resume soon."

"I'll go out later. Why don't you come with me?" Then he tests the waters and carefully continues. "C.C. and I will see a movie."

"Can't you just do it here? Her shoulder - "

"Her shoulder is getting better. The doctor had removed the sling last night."

"Oh, I see."

"You'd know it if you don't lock yourself in your room or here all the time. Lelouch..." Leaning in, he stares at his friend solemnly. "... I asked her out so I could talk to her. I'll," he sighs and runs his fingers through his thick brown hair, "I'll apologize and hopefully patch things up with her. These past few days have been unbearable."

The prince nods. "She'll forgive you."

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"When are you going to talk to her again? She'll be leaving in a few days. Are you really going to let her leave with matters unsettled between the two of you?"

It's Lelouch's turn to sigh. Closing the book, he turns to the tall window that has a clear view of the cathedral. "I'll talk to her. But not right now."

"Why?" Closed fists, teeth gritting, Suzaku is a picture of frustration. "What are you waiting for? She's been asking about you. She's worried."

"Not right now, Suzaku."

"But why?!" He can't help but slap his hands on the table, stand up and snap at Lelouch. Tension crosses over the prince's amethyst eyes but it is quick to flit away, Suzaku wonders if he had just imagined it.

"Drop it," Lelouch warns calmly.

Throwing his hands up, Suzaku slumps down his chair and glares at his friend. "You're stupidly stubborn. Actually, both of you are and I always get caught in the middle." A heavy silence descends on them in which Lelouch re-opens the book, the crisp sound of the pages is completely annoying Suzaku now and if Lelouch turns another one, he'll completely snatch it from him. Lelouch does and without a warning, Suzaku sticks out his hand and grabs the book from the prince's hold. Lelouch is left wide-eyed, mouth hanging open in surprise.

"Suzaku! What - ?"

Forcing a smile, he keeps the book under his armpit. "So tell me, are you going to continue pursuing her?"

The prince remains silent before giving an unexpected answer. "No."

Suzaku blinks.

He is so taken aback that he isn't able to formulate a response at once. Lelouch looks calm and okay. Too calm and too okay for a situation like this. He is definitely not fine.

"You're giving up?" Suzaku asks, dumbfounded.

"No."

"You're not making any sense."

"That's why I told you to drop it, Suzaku." He sighs. "Please leave me alone for a while. I promise to go down later."

Standing up, the knight watches the prince retrieve another book from his pile already dismissing his presence. His brows knit upon noticing his hands. "At least meet the twins. They miss you, too."

The prince only nods.

* * *

The cinema is thankfully not crowded and Suzaku and C.C. choose the seats on the upper level where they are the only ones seating in the row.

Suzaku had just returned from buying them popcorn and drinks and C.C. politely thanks him. It has been a polite outing so far, C.C. notes. She had been surprised when Suzaku approached her the day before and asked if they could go out today for she had been thinking of the same thing. The relief that she wouldn't worry on being rejected anymore was great and welcome.

Last night, she had carefully and meticulously thought of all that she would tell and ask him. As much as their feelings is completely involved in this matter, she doesn't want to make the same mistake of acting purely on her emotions causing someone to get hurt. She will listen to what Suzaku will have to say and will try to put her feet on his shoes.

She will listen this time.

But so far, this outing had been nothing but a polite exchange of greetings and smiles. Later, after the movie, they will talk and figure out things. Later.

"Have you seen this movie?" she whispers as the lights gradually dims.

"Not yet. But I heard it is really good."

And it is. C.C. does not expect that she would enjoy it and somehow alleviate the atmosphere between her and Suzaku. Throughout the whole time, they would occasionally whisper jokes, comment on the scenes, and laugh together at the humor of the story. When C.C. finishes her popcorn, Suzaku shares his and in times that their hands bumped against each other, they would fight on who should go first just like how they were when they were younger.

They leave the movie house with C.C. feeling lighter and more determined to fix things between them. Suzaku brings them to another place that they both had frequently visited before.

Entering the Britannia National Museum, C.C. can't help but jump like a little girl as she sets foot inside. She had been planning to visit the place ever since she arrived but due to the circumstances that had happened lately, the thought totally escaped her mind.

This is the place of her dream job – the dream of becoming the museum's curator. She had already sent the administration an application for internship and she was accepted. Once she graduated, she will return here and start her internship, and hopefully, they will hire her as a regular staff.

"Remember when we would play 'hide and seek' here and ran all over the place causing Lelouch to have a panic attack?" Suzaku stares, mesmerized at the beauty of the first queen of Britannia's giant portrait.

C.C. chuckles. "Yes. My favorite hiding place was behind that large ancient jar. The staff couldn't stop us since we were with the royal family."

"I miss that."

She raises an eyebrow. "Did you bring me here to play?" she says though she's aware that it is not what he meant.

Shaking his head, he puts on a serious expression and completely faces her. "I'm here to apologize for the cruelty we've done. I…" His eyebrows knit. "I'm sorry if we completely ignored how it would affect you, if we didn't listen to you. I apologized for acting terribly as your friend. We... We were just so angry. But, Cera..." he gulps, voice uncertain, "there's a small part of me that didn't regret what we've done. Does it make me a bad person?"

His emerald eyes reflect so much remorse and humbleness that C.C. couldn't help but reach out and squeeze his hand. "I understand now, Suzaku," she starts, "And no, it doesn't make you a bad person. You just showed how much you care for me and I truly, deeply, appreciate it." She chuckles mirthlessly. "It should be me who must apologize. I haven't even thanked you properly for saving my life." Grabbing his other hand, she tells him what she should have said days ago. "Suzaku Kururugi, Knight of the Holy Empire of Britannia, my best friend, I, thank you for saving my life and giving me another chance to be with my loved ones. And I am sorry for being too fast to exact my judgment when I, myself, is not a flawless person. I am sorry for not listening and not trusting. I..." she looks down and says silently, "I just wanted to protect you, too, from being in the same level as Mao."

After saying those words, it feels like a shackle had been removed from her ankle, letting her float and fly away from the burden that had been pulling her. She gazes at Suzaku's clear emerald eyes and see the same expression in them. They are going to be okay. Thank God, they will be okay.

"I know, C.C. God, I missed you." Suzaku encloses her in a tight, bone crushing hug and C.C. basks in the happiness of having her friend back. "This is the most serious fight we've ever had," he murmurs.

"Let's not do it again."

"I agree. Not talking to you is unbearable."

"It is my fault, too."

"So..." Pulling away, the knight pats her head gently. "...that leaves one person who you must talk to. And please talk to him, C.C. If you need to camp in his room, will you? Don't leave with a situation like this, okay?"

She nods. "I'm already planning on it."

* * *

"Hey, Rolo."

The young prince looks up from the sketch of the palace that he is drawing and turns his attention to his sister who is currently highlighting each line in her textbook. The pages are practically yellow now. "What is it, Nunnally?"

"What do you think you are doing when the time comes that Lelouch become the emperor?"

Huh? Where is this coming from? "Why do you ask?"

Nunnally shrugs and turns a page, tinge of yellow ink smudged on her fingertips. "Just curious."

"Well, we are likely grown-up by then. I think I would be a teacher and teaching those who are less fortunate. How about you?"

"I would be a doctor. A pediatrician to be exact."

"Yeah, you like children." His eyebrows furrow when he can't get the shade of the roof right.

"What if, this is a big what if, Rolo. What if brother rejects the crown and passes it to one of us?"

"That is impossible," he answers coolly.

"But it could happen."

"It wouldn't. Lelouch has been working hard for it and I couldn't think of any reason why he would reject it. Can you?"

"Well…" Eyes narrowed, highlighter in between her teeth, the princess racks her brain of what could possibly drive her brother away from claiming his throne.

When she remains silent for a while, Rolo speaks up. "The only reason that I can think of is sickness and I don't want that to happen to him. Besides, I've never wished to be the emperor. I wouldn't know what to do. Politics is not really my thing."

"Then I will be the empress."

Surprised, Rolo stares at his twin sister. Is she being serious? He doesn't know that Nunnally has the slightest interest on the highest position in the monarchy. Never in their lives had he seen a sign of political curiosity from her. It is always in Lelouch.

Lelouch who from the very start has the skill and talent to lead people. Ever since they were little, he could attract the attention of the elders and make them listen to his speech. He has the poise and voice that can command a country. It has been set in Rolo's young mind that there is no person other than Lelouch who will succeed their father. Now, he suddenly pictures Nunnally as the empress and his mind is being blown.

"I didn't know that you want it," Rolo utters.

Tucking a wavy hair behind her ear, a blush creeps on Nunnally's cheeks. "Not really. I'm just saying that if given the chance, I wouldn't shy away from it. I'll do my best to fulfill my role and make you proud."

Now, it's Rolo's turn to blush. "You make me sound like a coward with those words."

"Oh, you're not because I'll make you the highest-ranking general."

Rolo is appalled. "Tell me you're joking, Nunnally! Make me anything but not that."

The sound of the princess's laughter is crisp and teasing. "Do not worry. I am certain that it wouldn't happen in the near future. You said it yourself, Lelouch is the one who is going to be the emperor."

"Right. Right."

The twins return to doing their tasks and finally Rolo is able to find the correct shade of the roof. When he is about to color Aries Villa, it suddenly strikes him that Nunnally never takes back her declaration of making him her general.

* * *

"Is that for the prince?"

The older servant politely nods at her, careful not to spill any soup on the tray. "Yes, My Lady."

"Can you let me bring that to him?"

A look of uncertainty crosses the servant's face. "But My Lady, it will cause you inconvenience." A glance on her healing shoulder.

C.C. kindly smiles at her and gently retrieves the tray from her. "I'll be fine."

The unexpected heaviness of the tray and the distance of his room from the kitchen prove to be quite exhausting and inconvenient for C.C. Her shoulder is healing well, but overused, a throbbing pain still emerges making her uncomfortable. Finally, after two plight of stairs and a number of turns, she reaches his door. Holding the tray with one arm, she nervously knocks on the door and waits for his signal.

"Come in."

Hmmm. He doesn't even ask who is on the other side.

The prince is reading something on his laptop and never once bestow her a glance. Placing the tray on the table C.C. waits for Lelouch to look up but he does not.

"I'll just call you when I am done. You may leave."

"Lelouch."

His finger freezes mid-press and a breathless moment passes when he just stares at the monitor, unmoving and unblinking. When he turns to her, his eyes immediately darts to the tray. "That tray is heavy. You should have let the servant bring it."

_Always, always worried about her._

"I want to talk to you," she says.

Finally, he meets her eyes and C.C. watches him struggle until he says, "Okay. I have something to tell you, too."

"Oh. What is it?"

Not anticipating the situation, C.C.'s hammering heart begins to calm and a feeling of curiosity replaces her nervousness. She does not expect this. Not when he had consistently avoided her for the past weeks. This could be a good thing, right?

"No. You go first."

She shakes her head. "Please."

The sigh that the prince releases is both deep and worrying. It is as if he had decided on something that had been bothering him for so long. Standing up, he walks towards her and stops with a few steps between them. He tucks his hands inside his pockets – a mannerism he does whenever he is tensed.

"I know it is automatic after what you said," what she said? "But I would like to make it formal between the two of us." The unreadable look that he is giving her brings her nervousness back ten times stronger. This doesn't sound like it is going to be good news. She can actually hear her heartbeat now. "I will not pursue my courtship with you. I am officially withdrawing from being your suitor."

…

…

…

She stares.

She blinks.

She stares.

She blinks.

" _I can't be with a man like that."_

"But… If there is still a chance… I… I still would like to be your friend," he murmurs while looking on the floor. "I'm really sorry about what happened. I'm sorry if I avoided you all this time as if you're the one who wronged me." He gulps, "I understand and accept your perspective now and I am trying to be a better person. So I hope…"

C.C. leans against the wall, her body suddenly heavy. Her eyes dart to the ceiling, to the window beyond his shoulder, to his bed – realizing that this is the first she had step foot inside his bedroom again after a long time.

"But if you don't want to, I'll understand also."

Good grief, she cannot take this anymore.

With strong purpose, she invades his space, grabs his hands out of his pockets, interlaces their fingers and squeezes them tightly. "Look at me, Lelouch."

She waits.

He looks up at her.

Gazing straight to his dull amethyst eyes, it comes to C.C. that she did this to him. She had hurt him so bad to the point that he thinks she is no longer his friend.

"Lelouch vi Britannia," she firmly begins. "I, Cera Corabelle, am still your friend. You are still my best friend. You are still my special person. There is no need for apologies anymore. In fact, if there is someone who should apologize here, it should be me. I am sorry for saying those words to you carelessly, for acting so righteously, for making you feel bad about yourself. I am sorry for not trying to understand your feelings more, for being so close-minded and for easily throwing away all of the good things I've known all about you for a terrible judgment."

He tries to escape her grip but she holds tighter. "But what you said are true. If I did love you, I should have listened and stopped torturing Mao. But I didn't, right? I went straight back to that cell all numb with my mind set on hurting him more. C.C. I was angry at you, too, at myself, and that anger fueled my hatred to him. Perhaps, I did love you, but my love was not enough. You shouldn't settle with a man like me."

"How do we measure love anyway? Through the bouquet of flowers? Through sweet dates? Chocolates? The time we spend with each other? The fights we have survived? There are times when you need to distance yourself for the sake of your loved one and that would be the greatest form of love," she sighs. "I am the worst friend for treating you like a monster for a single act that you've done for my sake. I can't say that I completely agree with your method but it was not fair of me to let that overshadow our years of friendship. You were right when you said that all of us have their own dark sides. I am sorry for turning my back to you when I should have been more understanding, when I should have been there for you just like how you are with me all the time. We might not had looked at the situation with the same perspective but at least, we were together. Matters shouldn't have reached this stage."

"There is no need to find excuses for my action because at the end of the day, it was evil. Maybe it was a good thing to know that I have an unforgiving side this early." He shrugs. "Spare you the burden of the black prince."

"Stop," she whispers. "I need you to stop talking so lowly about yourself, Lelouch."

"I'm sorry."

C.C. closes her eyes. "And I need you to stop apologizing because none of this is your fault. I…" she chuckles bitterly, "I haven't even thanked you for saving my life."

"I didn't save your life. It was Suzaku who –" He stops himself when she lets out a whimper.

Leaning her head on his chest, she tells him the words that are so long overdue. "Thank you, Lelouch, for saving my life. You are the reason why I'm still here. You are the reason why I managed to hold on to the littlest of light when I thought that I was going to die. It was your face and your name that was in my mind before I fell unconscious. It was the fear of not seeing you again, the thought of not being with you that pushed me to stand up and walk those few steps away from the tree because I wanted to come home to my family, but most importantly, I wanted to come home to you. You were my oxygen that supplied the breaths to keep me alive until Suzaku found me on time." She looks up, eyes stinging. "You, Lelouch vi Britannia, are my hero. And nothing will ever change that."

She watches him bite his lower lip to stop it from trembling. "So you are not a monster. Never. And if ever that dark side of yours appear again, I will listen and be there for you. You are not a monster, Lelouch. You are the best person that I've ever met. So please, stop isolating yourself from other people and start living with us again."

Brows knitted, he stares at her as if she is speaking in another language, as if he cannot comprehend what she is saying. But C.C. wouldn't stop until his confidence and trust in himself finally return. If needed be, she will delay her return to Japan.

Yet Lelouch closes his eyes, takes a deep, deep, breath, and squeezes her hands. "Okay," he opens his eyes and this time, when he looks at her, there is a resolute expression in his shining amethyst eyes. "Okay."

Releasing a long sigh of relief, C.C. lets go of his hand and wraps her arms around him. His embrace comes in gentle and careful, avoiding her shoulder. She inhales his familiar scent she had missed so much that quickly takes her back to their happy memories. "Silly boy. You're going to drive me crazy," she mumbles on his chest. His heartbeat is loud and very much alive. She wants to hold on to that life and never let go.

"Fair enough since you've already drove my sanity away ever since we've met."

And after so long, their shoulders shake, their hearts soar, and finally their soft laughter mingle together.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Lelouch stares up at the ceiling of his room, still groggy from oversleeping that he hadn't done in a while. Stretching, his body feels extra relaxed and pampered as if he had gone from an exhausting battle and just came back to the warmth and safety of his home. And he really did. He glances to the left and stares at the Cheese-kun themed chess game that was C.C.'s gift. He lets himself smile just a little. Last night has been emotional. Just hearing those words from her broke and rebuilt something in him that he himself didn't know exist. But there are still feelings of self-hatred and guilt that linger in his mind and he doesn't see them leaving anytime soon.

"Lelouch, are you awake?"

Rolo.

Sitting up, he glances at the clock that reads nine o'clock in the morning. This is so unfashionably late for him. His little brother's bright and lively face greets him as he opens his door.

"Good morning, Lelouch!"

"Good morning, Ro – Hey, where are you taking me!"

"We're making pizza!" Rolo happily answers as he drags his clueless brother along the corridor.

Lelouch stumbles behind him, his legs not yet ready to function as legs. "Pizza? This early?"

"Yup! Nunnally and Lady C.C. had already burned two doughs!"

Lelouch panics. "Burned?! Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

Rolo only laughs. "We thought we can make it by ourselves!"

When they enter the kitchen, the flour powder is floating everywhere creating a mist that engulfs the place in a white haze. The smell of burning dough permeates the air, and when Lelouch steps forward, he steps on something soft and slippery. Lifting his slippers, he finds a cut tomato on the floor.

"Lelouch is here!" announces Rolo.

Nunnally, who is bent over the large oven, looks up and smiles at him. "Finally! We've been failing continuously in making pizza. We followed everything in the instruction but it seemed like our hands are cursed in pizza-making."

Approaching his sister, Lelouch wanders his eyes around the kitchen. "Where are the cooks?"

"Oh, we asked them to use the other kitchen and leave this one to us," Rolo answers who is, to Lelouch's alarm, using a butcher knife in cutting tomatoes.

"Rolo, put that knife away. Use the one on your left. Nunnally, don't touch the tray with your bare hands, you'll get burned. And where is…" He tests her name. "Where is C.C.?"

"Right here!"

A hand springs out from under the table and when the prince bends down, he finds the lady wiping the floor.

"What are you doing?"

"I accidentally bumped against the table hard that the bowl of tomato sauce fell."

"Are you okay?"

"My hip just hurt a little but it already passed."

"I see. Well then, stand up."

C.C. raises a brow at him before following his command.

When they are all lined-up with their hands on their back, Lelouch scrutinizes his surroundings and finds that none of what they have been doing is correct. Well, at least they are wearing aprons, though, they are all splattered with flour.

"I'll ask the servants to clean this place first, and while they are at it, you should clean yourselves too. Then, we'll meet here again after 30 minutes and do everything in the right way. Okay?"

"Yes!"

Lelouch falls in step with C.C. as she passes him by. "Whose idea is this?" he asks.

"Who else do you think?" C.C. asks back teasingly.

"You should have woken me up earlier so we have avoided this mess."

"I tried to but you looked so peaceful earlier. You deserved that rest after everything."

"You went inside my room?"

C.C. halts and stares up at him hesitantly. "Oh. I'm sorry. I…"

A few steps past her, Lelouch looks back. "It's fine. I was just surprised."

C.C. blinks at him. Ah, why did he think that this is going to be easy? That being with her wouldn't be difficult. Last night had been resolving and assuring but it didn't erase the fact that she is someone who is out of his league anymore. Just looking at her makes his heart constrict.

He is about to turn around when an arm hooks around his. Dropping his gaze, he finds C.C. staring up at him curiously. "Come on. I bet Nunnally and Rolo are already finishing up."

"But that's not the right way to your room," he protests as she drags him down the corridor.

"I know. I need to borrow your clothes this time. I've already packed mine in the suitcases."

Right, she is leaving tomorrow.

"Lelouch, you're not going to get sentimental now, aren't you?"

He clears his throat loudly. "What? Of course not. It's just four months."

"Good. Because after that, I'll be on your every way where ever you go. Now, walk faster."

All clean and washed, the four of them meet back in the kitchen with Lelouch in-charge this time. Preparing the right tools, he gives each one of them a task as he supervises the team and massages the dough at the same time.

Nunnally is in-charge with cutting the toppings, Rolo is making the sauce, while C.C. mixes the ingredient for the other dough.

"Brother, are these sizes okay?"

"Cut it more finely, Nunnally."

"Is the consistency good, Lelouch?"

"That looks great, Rolo, but… hmmm… Add more tomato paste."

"Got it!"

"Boya, why is this not getting firm?"

"C.C., you're supposed to add more flour."

"Brother, can we add some shrimp to the toppings?"

"That is a good idea, Nunnally."

"No. Don't listen to her. It won't go with the other ingredients. You might end up not liking it."

"But, if it's you who will make it, I'm sure it will turn out fine."

"T-Thank you, Nunnally. But really, it will taste weird."

"Now I want a garlic shrimp flavor. Will you make one, too, Lelouch?"

"Wha- C.C., we just agreed on making two pizzas."

"I want garlic shrimp, too!"

"Rolo!"

"Me, too, Lelouch!"

"Nunnally?!"

"Won't you at least grant my wish before I leave?"

"That's not fair… Fine, I'll make one."

In the middle of the busy work, Suzaku walks in. His eyes widen at the restless sight before him.

"Oh, good timing, Suzaku," C.C. greets him. "Help us massage and toss this dough. Our very athletic first prince is now taking a break."

"Sure." Without any qualm, the knight joins them. Nunnally hands him a blue apron, then he rolls his sleeves up and takes over the task.

"I am not taking a break, I was just drinking water. In fact, let me do that now," Lelouch says after downing a glass of cold water.

Suzaku smiles innocently at him. "It's okay, Lelouch. You can rest for a while."

_Why does everyone want him to rest?_

"Why don't you just monitor the oven, Lelouch?" He must have looked helpless because C.C. is gazing at him kindly.

"Fine," he mumbles.

Sitting on a bench, Lelouch checks the timer and eases himself. The pizza is looking good. The dough is browning gradually and he can already smell the faint scent of cheese. If this continues, they will be able to produce a pizza as tasty as their cook could make and he is certain that C.C. will have a field day. His stomach growls. Ah, he hasn't eaten breakfast.

"It's been a while since we did something like this."

Lelouch glances at his right and finds Nunnally taking a seat beside him.

"Yeah. I missed doing simple things like this."

Rolo sits at his left.

"Also, it's been a while since we are complete. Even Suzaku is able to join us," adds Nunnally.

"What she is trying to say is, she is happy that you are here with us, Lelouch."

Lelouch looks between his siblings and feels an immense sense of guilt for not spending time with them for the past few days.

"I'm sorry for being a terrible older brother lately."

Nunnally shakes her head. "We understand. You've been busy preparing for university but… if something is bothering you, you can tell us brother."

"We might be younger than you but you can also depend on me and Nunnally. You've always been dependable for us so we want to pay you back."

"You don't have to pay me back. It's just my responsibility as your sibling." Why are they being so precious this early? He wants to keep them in his pocket.

"But!" the young princess appeals, "You won't avoid us, right? When you have a problem, you don't have to carry it alone, brother."

"Nunnally… Rolo…"

He puts his hands over their heads and messes their hair so as to prevent himself from spilling tears. Ah, his siblings. His precious little siblings. He'll do everything to keep them happy.

"Something's burning," C.C. notes from the other side.

"Shit!" Springing up from the bench, Lelouch runs to the oven.

"Brother! Don't forget to wear gloves!" Nunnally calls with a giggle.

"Right!" As soon as his hands are covered, he opens the oven and takes out the pizza. He sighs in relief upon seeing that the pizza is still in good condition.

"Oohh, that looks delicious!" says Suzaku.

"I know."

"I'll taste it."

"It's still hot, C.C. Wait for five minutes."

A huff. "Fine."

As much as C.C. could devour a lot of slices, it turns out that they are able to share some to the emperor and empress. The group gathers in the Sun Room and peacefully eats the fruit of their labor. Basking in the gentle warmth of the sun, Nunnally's words come back to Lelouch.

" _It's been a while since we did something like this."_

She's right. It feels like a hundred years have passed since they are together like this – happy, carefree, and contented.

Lelouch closes his eyes, the back of his hands still stinging from the violent washing that he had been doing lately, and takes in a heap of fresh, healing air.

* * *

"Lady C.C., Rolo and I have a gift for you!"

C.C. looks up from the box that she is sealing and sees the twins standing by the doorway of her room.

"Cheese-kun's companion, Cheese-chan!"

A yellow stuff toy as large as Cheese-kun is in Rolo's arms. Instead of a black hat, Cheese-chan is wearing a white one with a pink ribbon. She wears the same expression as Cheese-kun and seems to be as fluffy and softer as the latter.

In a blink of an eye, C.C. is infront of them, hugging and squeezing Cheese-chan so tightly. Her face is red. Her eyes teary. "Oh my God, thank you very much!"

"We're glad you liked it."

"Oh, I love it. Cheese-kun will be so happy to have a new companion."

Bending down, she gives Nunnally and Rolo a peck on their cheeks. "Thank you, my children."

"Are you done packing?" inquires Rolo.

She shakes her head. "Almost."

"Can't you really finish university here? The palace would be less lively without you."

"It's just four months, Nunnally. Busy yourself with the things you like to do and you will never notice that four months had already passed."

"We're gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you, too. I promise to do a video-call regularly."

Nunnally giggles. "Just like what brother and you did before? Though he tried his best to keep it a secret from us."

"Well, he has reputation to keep. He can't have the world know that he is actually friends with a witch, can he?" C.C. teases.

"Right. Let us help you pack, then."

C.C. wants to object because them helping means a shorter time for her to finish, and with all honesty, she doesn't want to finish packing her things. Packing means that her flight to Japan is fast approaching and she cannot do anything about it but go with the flow. She thinks that this time it will be easier than the first time she left three years ago, but the longing is still as intense as before. Perhaps more intense after all that have happened during her short stay here. In Japan, she will be back in her apartment where she lives alone. Do things like a routine, wake up, eat, study, sleep, repeat. The only thing that changes now is she will actually go to the campus to attend classes.

Oh, she's suddenly nervous. It's been a while since she last saw her classmates. Never had she been close to them as close as she is with the royal family. There are some who she can comfortably call as friends but she has kept her privacy ever since she went to Japan, especially her connection to the Britannias. As much as possible, she wants to have a normal college life without being bombarded by questions about the royal family, and without being treated differently just because she is connected with them.

And because of that, she never really built a deep relationship with her classmates. She wonders what their reaction would be upon seeing her in the campus after a long time of being MIA.

But before thoroughly worrying about something that hasn't happened yet, C.C. swerves her mind to the uncertainty that clouded Lelouch's eyes earlier.

What did she expect? That everything will return to normal just because they made up last night? She must be delusional to think of that.

Right now, they are tiptoeing around each other like newfound friends who still calculate their every move so as not to offend or hurt the other – careful not to cause discomfort and awkwardness that overfamiliarity brings. Ah, she hates this.

Call her selfish, but she wants him to smile at her again the same way he did when he confessed to her. She wants to see the calmness and contentment he had portrayed during that moment while her heart was thudding so fast inside her chest because of her utter disbelief. She wants him to look at her with hope in his eyes and not with worry and hesitation. She wants him to talk to her with the subtle softness in his voice that only she could hear.

She wants, wants, wants...

C.C. lies on her bed and closes her eyes.

Good grief, she wants him.

His announcement of backing out as her suitor was a big shock to her. But she should have seen that coming right? Above everything else, Lelouch is a man of his principles and after the way she made him feel bad about himself, she should have anticipated that kind of decision from him. Well, she had told him so, didn't she?

Yet, personally hearing those words come out of his mouth was like throwing a pale of cold water at her - awakening her senses that were dulled by her pride.

C.C. smiles bitterly. What a truly selfish woman she is. People had been calling her a witch out of endearment and jokes. But right now, she never felt more appropriately comparable to a cruel witch.

The twins have left some moments ago and in the solitude of her room, she already feels the longing her apartment would bring.

* * *

"Suzaku!"

A bundle of pink and yellow comes rushing towards the brown-haired knight without giving him the time to step out of its way. Not like he is going to, no, he won't let Euphy faceplant on the floor. So with wide open arms, he catches her, his feet stumbling a few steps back from the impact her body made.

"Euphy! Why are you running and shouting?" he asks as he smoothens her hair.

"Nothing! I'm just so happy!" she says to his shirt.

Holding onto her shoulders, Suzaku studies her radiant face that he likes so much. Her round purple eyes - wide and innocent - are beaming at him.

"And what's the reason for your happiness?"

"I heard that Lelouch and C.C. finally made up."

"Ah, yeah. That's right."

"And also you and C.C."

Suzaku breathes deeply. "Yes. Yes, we did."

Grabbing his hand, the young duchess leads her to the garden where Rivalz is currently trimming the grass. The servant immediately bows and greets them as they pass by.

"I'm glad that you've resolved your issues before she leaves. That would be quite a worry if you didn't and might cause the problem to grow more than it should. All of you were so miserable."

"I was worrying about that, too. I feel so relieved that we are back to talking. We just actually made a pizza earlier together with Lelouch and the twins."

Euphy huffs, her cheeks reddening. Crossing her arms, she pouts at Suzaku. "Why didn't you call me? I would have liked to do that with all of you."

"Eerr..." Scratching his cheek, he cannot think of an excuse because truthfully, it slipped his mind to invite her. He was so caught up in the moment of having a good time with his friends after a while that he had forgotten Euphy. What a neglectful boyfriend he is! "I'm sorry, Euphy. Let me make it up to you."

The girl glares at him for a few more seconds before giggling. "I'm just joking. I understand but!" Standing on her tiptoes, she whispers to his ear.

Suzaku's eyes widen upon hearing her request and looks nervously around. "Are you sure about that? We are not alone here."

"You don't want to do it?" Euphy asks in such a cute manner that makes Suzaku almost give in.

"But there are servants around," he helplessly answers.

All of a sudden, his girlfriend drags him to the nearest tree and hide themselves behind its trunk.

"Is here okay?"

"Uhmmm..." The tree doesn't entirely conceal them from the servants who are working in the garden, but it is far enough from them to notice what they would be doing. "I guess."

And so the duchess closes her eyes as the knight bends down slightly, his right hand cupping her cheek, little smiles linger on their lips until they vanish into the nonexistent space as wild butterflies flutter in their stomachs.

* * *

"Move."

_"Move! A meteor is coming down at us!"_

_Another meteor? Wasn't the big one that hit Aries Villa before enough to bring terror in his dream world?_

_"Lelouch, come on! Why are you just standing there?!" The panic in Suzaku's eyes brings him out of his stupor and finally his legs begin to move and run away from the approaching celestial entity._

A sigh. "Well then. I'll just move your limbs out of the way."

_Oh, no! Why are his legs and arms getting twisted? Is this the side effect of being exposed to the particles and gases brought by the meteor?_

_Where is his family? C.C.? What happened to Suzaku who was just with him a while ago? Why is he alone again?_

_Suddenly, small and light rocks are being thrown at him. They do not hurt but they do annoy the hell out of him especially when he couldn't see where they are coming from._

_"Hey! Stop! Stop it!" he shouts as he shields himself with his hands. "Are you the aliens? Do you want to take over the world? Let's talk this over. Hey! I said stop it!"_

"Aliens? What are you dreaming about, boya?"

_When the rocks don't stop coming, Lelouch squats making himself small and invisible. Damn these aliens, why couldn't they just confront him? If it is world domination that they wanted, well, he could not just agree with that. They would need a deep, lengthy talk to settle their issues with this planet. That is if he could understand alien language._

_As he stares at the ground, a large shadow eventually covers the soil and when he looks up, a rock as large as a car is dropping towards him._

_What the - ?_

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

Panting and sweating, Lelouch sits up, his eyes wide as saucers as if he had been awake for so long. Amber eyes blinks back at him.

"The meteor! Aliens! What... C.C.! What are you doing here?" His heart still thumping fast from adrenaline.

The witch has her right forefinger pointed at him. She is wearing one of his shirts and is sitting on his bed with two yellow pillow-like objects lying beside her. Those couldn't be what he is thinking, right?

"I am keeping the aliens away from you," she answers with a serious look on her face.

"And your finger? Why is it in attack mode?"

C.C. sighs heavily as if she's the one who is being troubled in the situation. "I was telling you to move but you wouldn't wake up so I tried to lift your legs and arms. But for an unathletic boy, you're unexpectedly heavy. So I tried to wake you up by poking your cheek. Looks like it is effective. Now, move, boya so  _we_  can finally sleep."

"Wait..." But the girl seems not to hear him and hands him Cheese-kun (What is he going to do with him?) as she lies down beside her with another Cheese-kun on her arms.

"Why do you have two Cheese-kuns?" asks Lelouch.

"This is Cheese-chan, not Cheese-kun. You are holding Cheese-kun."

"Cheese-what?"

"The twins gave her to me as a parting gift earlier. Would you lie down now?"

Lelouch obeys with Cheese-kun in his arms. As soon as he is comfortable, C.C. says, "When I come back after graduation, I'll ask Charles to make Cheese-chan an honorary member of the family, too."

"That would be unfair to Cheese-kun," he murmurs.

"Hmmm? How?"

The ceiling of his room seems so high and unreachable at this angle. It always fascinates Lelouch how your feelings towards something could change when you're looking at it from a different perspective. How something or someone suddenly feels unreachable just because you are looking at them through the eyes of uncertainty and fear.

"Cheese-kun earned his position. He had done something noble to be deserving of being part of the family."

He hears the amusement in her voice. "But this is a different Cheese-kun, remember? The one who saved me was torn into pieces back in Japan and that one was a freebie from Pizza Hut."

"But it is still Cheese-kun." He hugs Cheese-kun tightly against him. "As his father, I know him by heart."

He waits for her response, but when C.C. remains silent, he immediately adds, "But we'll see after five months if Cheese-chan is deserving of the position, too. She needs to prove first that she is a first-class stuff toy." Then, he lowers his voice. "But it doesn't mean that you needed to get hurt again just for that."

"Okay," is her sober answer.

Slowly, Lelouch turns his head towards her, finally allowing himself to look at her face but it turns out, C.C. is already lying on her side but is burying her face behind Cheese-chan.

"Did you have a nightmare?" he whispers.

She shakes her head.

"Then..."

"I'll be leaving tomorrow so please..." Her golden eyes peek at him and holds his gaze, "Can we pretend that everything's normal tonight?"

He stares at her for a while. Amethyst eyes clashing with golden ones. Her slender fingers are widely spread on Cheese-chan's head as if she is a shield protecting C.C. from her enemies.

There's something different in in his friend. Something new and fragile that he cannot name. Vulnerable. She looks so vulnerable in that moment – a rare expression he only saw when he caught her crying in her room after they visited the tomb of her parents for the first time after they took her in.

" _C.C.! Mother is looking for – C.C.? What happened?"_

" _Get out, Lelouch," she silently said while wiping away her tears._

_He took a step inside her room but abruptly stopped upon seeing her glare. "But…"_

_In his young mind, Lelouch couldn't fathom the depth of loneliness and longing his new friend was feeling. Losing her parents… He couldn't even imagine losing one of his. So as he watched the girl compose herself, the young prince awkwardly waited – not knowing what to say, not knowing what to do to comfort his friend._

" _I said get out. I'll just go to Marianne later. And don't tell anyone about this or else I won't talk to you for a week."_

_And so he left and never told anyone about what he saw afraid that she would really act on her threat, but the broken look on her face never left the young prince's mind._

"Won't it be better if we don't?"

"Why is that?" she whispers.

Lelouch shrugs. "It's better to be honest with our feelings especially if we still have unresolved issues that would be left behind when you leave."

"Then are you being honest right now, Lelouch? What are your true feelings?"

_I still love you_ , he wants to say.

_Looking at you is painful._

_It will never be the same and normal as before._

_Don't go._

_I miss you._

But instead, he laughs. "No, I'm not. It's all a bluff."

All of a sudden, C.C. sits up and hits him with Cheese-chan. "You're unfair."

"Hey, stop that! Aren't you concerned with your toy? And Cheese-kun is being hit, too!"

Immediately, the witch lays down on the bed murmuring some apologies to her babies.

"Anyway, just promise me that you will answer my calls and video calls or else I will take the first trip to Britannia to scold you."

"That's not really a convincing threat, you know."

"Lelouch."

"Fine, I will."

"Say it. Say you promised."

A pinky finger appears above him and automatically he entwines his with hers. "I, Lelouch vi Britannia, First Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, promise you, Cera Corabelle, that I will answer each of your call and video call and will never miss a single one."

C.C. shakes their hands for a couple of times before she lets go.

"Good. Now let's go to sleep."

* * *

And Lelouch lives up to his promise.

During the first two weeks of her return to Japan, C.C. had talked to him every night. They talked about the university, how she had been catching up with attending classes again and seeing her classmates. They talked about his thesis which he was having a hard time of finding a reliable partner who is capable and responsible in performing their tasks. C.C. asked about the twins. It seems like both of them are running for highest honors. Rolo and Nunnally won't tell her about their ranking in school, saying that they wanted to surprise her but with the way they knowingly smile, C.C. couldn't help but get information from their older brother.

They talked about everything that happened in their day just like how they did for three years.

"Her name is Monica. I remember her being nice to me before I withdraw from campus. I just didn't expect that she will still want to be friends even though I have been MIA for a while." She slurps her noodles loudly, too hungry from the workload she did for the day.

Lelouch narrows his eyes from the screen. "Well, isn't that good? You'll have someone to talk to."

"I have you."

"I mean there in Japan. I can't just call you all the time."

"You never called me. I'm the one who always does the calling."

"Whatever. Are you eating instant noodles again? This is your third night."

She scoops a spoonful of soup. "It's delicious and easy to make."

"It's bad for your health. Eat something homemade with good nutritional values."

She waves him off. "I will when I find time. You know, I don't have cooking skills as good as yours."

He sighs. "Did you at least consider the recipes that I sent you?"

"Uh-huh. Hmmm… Maybe I'll ask Monica to help me."

Finally, Lelouch smiles. "You do that. Anyway, I have to go. Study calls. Take care, C.C. Good night."

"Good night, Lelouch."

When the screen goes black, C.C. looks up at the wall clock and calculates the time. It's just four in the afternoon in Britannia and they just talked for merely fifteen minutes. Lelouch had told her that he is free all day today. Oh well, perhaps something came up. And he is busy with his thesis anyway, she can't have herself be a nuisance to him.

They talked about everything that happened in their day just like how they did for three years but this time, each call gets shorter and shorter.

 


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Lelouch contemplates on the idea of calling C.C. for the first time ever since she left. How this time it would be her who would utter 'Hello?' or in a more C.C. way, 'Boya' instead of him. Her voice would be a mixture of bored, mocking and teasing yet he can clearly imagine the smirk that is pasted on her lips. He spins his phone in between his fingers as the noise of the cafeteria rivals his chaotic mind. All he needs to do is to go to his speed dials, press that call button and  _voila!_ her phone would ring and he would sit there and wait for her nonchalant greeting that would eventually lead to their regular talk. Easy. Even a child could do it.

So why can't he?

He looks up when someone taps on his table.

"You look troubled. Girl problems?"

"Hello, Kaguya."

"Is this seat taken?"

"Feel free."

The raven-haired girl eyes his untouched coffee then proceeds to open the wrappings of her burger. "So who's the girl who has His Highness on leash?"

"Someone you don't know."

The prince raises a brow when his classmate and thesis partner just blinks at him. "What?"

Kaguya shrugs. "I just didn't expect that you're going to admit that there's really a girl. Anyway, as long as it won't affect our thesis, you are free to mope all you want but do it when you finished your tasks."

That makes Lelouch smile. He wasn't wrong when he chose Kaguya as his thesis mate. The woman is studious and competitive enough to have the drive to accomplish their thesis not just for the sake of finishing it, but to impress their panels. Plus, she is one of the rare people who doesn't let his status come in their manner of interaction which is really helpful for Lelouch.

"You can count on me."

So Lelouch puts his phone back in his pocket, grabs one of the books that Kaguya brought with her, and submits himself to the simplicity of the student life.

* * *

"So how was Britannia?"

C.C. glances to her seat mate who has her face buried on her notebook while highlighting words. "How did you know I went there?"

Monica stiffens and C.C. worries that she might be having a heat stroke, though the aircons are fully on inside the library. Bashfully, the blonde turns her face towards her. "I'm sorry if it sounded stalkerish. You came up when I was talking with Professor Ougi. He mentioned that you stayed there during the break."

C.C. nods. She gets the pink highlighter from her pencil case and resumes highlighting her own notes. "I had a great time in Britannia. A lot happened but every second was worthwhile."

"That's where your family lives, right?"

At the mention of family, the image of the Royal Family appears in her mind and a soft smile dances on C.C.'s lips. "Yes. That's where they are. How about you? Where did you spend your break?"

"In Switzerland. I stayed with my grandparents there and helped in the farm."

"Ah, that sounds nice. I would like to go to Switzerland in the future."

"Oh!" Monica claps her hands and she is immediately shushed by the library's occupants. "Sorry… You can come with me next. If you'd like."

"I would love that." She stares at her new friend's kind face. Monica has become her constant companion in the university. She made C.C. feel instantly welcomed as if she never left the establishment. Her unpredictable personality also entertains the maiden so much for she can never guess how she would react to a certain situation. Monica could be quirky and lively at times, but she could also turn into a bashful and demure lady in a second. But more importantly, she is honest and sincere.

C.C. suddenly remembers Lelouch's suggestion.

"Hey, do you have something to do tonight?"

"Hm? I have some assignments but I think I'll finish them by noon. So that will leave me… Yes, I am free tonight. Why?"

"I have some ingredients in the apartment, would you like to join me on experimenting with them?"

"Oh, that sounds cool, though…" Monica scrunches her nose which reminds C.C. of a squirrel, "I'm warning you, I don't know how to cook."

C.C. waves her off. "No worries. I don't either."

* * *

Lelouch stretches as they finally take a break from a four-hour straight of working with their thesis. His back hurts and his fingers feel strained from typing non-stop in his laptop. Lying down on the floor of his dorm room, he listens as Kaguya raids his kitchen for something to eat. He sighs. He is exhausted. They are just in the first chapters of their thesis and no amount of his preparation during the break prepared him for this tedious task. He immediately misses the plainness of break, except for  _that certain event_ _, of course_ which also leads him to missing C.C.

Speaking of who, it's almost time for her regular call. Ah, so he failed again today.

He gets up and wakes his laptop up just in time for it to ring. He plugs in his earphones and answers the call.

_What is he looking at?_

There are five bowls of what seemed to be foods on the table, though he cannot identify what they are, with no C.C. in sight.

"C.C.?"

"Just a minute!" she says from somewhere faraway.

Finally, she appears on the screen carrying another bowl of what looks like black soup.

"What are those?" Lelouch asks.

"I just heed your advice and cook something."

Wearing a pink apron, C.C.'s hair is up on a messy bun. There is a smear of something red on her cheek and Lelouch could only wish that he can pass through laptop screens and wipe that smear off by himself. Instead, he just tells her.

"Are those even edible?"

"These came from the recipes you sent me."

He crosses his arms. "Really. Because I don't remember any of them should be looking like that when cooked. Be sure not to get food-poisoned."

C.C. frowns. "You're rude. I made these with Monica."

"Oh, so you decided to invite her?"

"Mmm-hmm. I didn't know that it would be fun, you know," C.C. shrugs, "to spend time with someone in my apartment. It's been a while since I accepted guests here. And Monica is cool."

"She sounds great." A mixture of warmth and relief envelope his chest with the knowledge that she has found a friend to keep her company. C.C. may seem unexpressive on the outside, nonchalant and willful, but deep inside her, solitude is not her kind of paradise. "I would like to meet her."

A look of surprise crosses his friend's face. "Really? Is it okay for her to discover my connection to you?"

"Your friend's my friend, too."

She snorts. "She just left minutes ago. We should be eating these together but some – "

"Lelouch! Can I heat this sandwich?"

"You have a guest?" C.C. asks.

"My thesis partner. Excuse me."

Leaning back, he peeks at Kaguya who is inspecting the refrigator. "Make it two! And also some orange juice! Thank you!"

"I am not your maid!" she answers back.

"A girl, huh? I see that you charmed another soul."

He glares back at C.C. though there's no bite in it. "I charmed no one. Kaguya is a capable and reliable partner. It is fortunate – "

"Where is your orange juice?"

"It's on the shelf above the sink!"

"Got it!"

"So how is your thesis going?"

"Dreadful," he sighs. "I can't believe that it is going to be this hard and I'm not sure if I have enough time to finish it."

"Am I hearing this correct? Lelouch vi Britannia is doubting himself?"

"I'm just being realistic. But it's not like I'm gonna let that happen."

"Then are you taking a rest?"

He shrugs. "I could still sleep for four hours nightly."

The worry on C.C.'s voice is evident. "Lelouch…"

"Tell me more about Monica."

C.C. stares at him for a while, completely knowing that he is avoiding the subject. But Lelouch has enough stress that he doesn't need a reminder that he is already stressed. "Her family's from Switzerland. She invited me to come with her next time."

"You'd like to go there?"

She beams. "Actually yes. I want to see the Swiss Alps up-close and ride cable cars over the mountains."

He smiles at her rare enthusiasm. "Then let's go there when you come back here. It will be our post-graduation trip."

"Really? We'll do that?"

The hopeful look on her face is enough for him to know that he said the right words. And damn, she looks so pretty with that glow. "We will do that."

"Thank you," she says shyly.

Oh God, the things he will do for this girl just to see her glow again like that.

And he will do everything.

Goddammit, he knows he would even though he already backed out –

"Do you have a tray somewhere?"

Kaguya's voice snaps him out of his trance. Clearing his throat, he shouts, "On the cabinet below the stove!"

"Seems like you're pretty busy. I won't keep you long. I'll call again tomorrow."

"Wait!"

"Hmmm?"

He sighs. "Take care, Cera."

C.C. blinks at him, perhaps surprised with his sudden use of her real name. "I will. You, too… Oh, you are free not to answer my calls, you know."

Lelouch frowns at the thought. "Why would I do that?" He must have tried to shorten their video calls in the past few days for the selfish reason that he practically feels physical pain just by looking at her, but he immediately abandoned that act and scolded himself for being weak and unfair towards her. In fact, it only made him miss her more and that is much more unbearable.

A shrug. "When you're really busy, or when you have a guest over, you don't have to answer my call."

_Nonsense._

But he just nods as if understanding what she just said.

* * *

"We're going to this historic site in Yokohama and write an essay about it. But since it is far away from campus, it's going to be a three-day trip."

"Will Monica be with you?"

"Uh-huh. Actually, we're roommates."

"That's good. Don't go anywhere that you're not supposed to. Don't wander away from your group. Always have your phone with you. Always have your map and flashlight. Perhaps, it is wise to bring a swiss knife, too. Also – "

"Lelouch…"

He blinks.

"Hi."

"I'm sorry, I got carried away. Just be safe there, okay?"

"I will."

"Lelouch, do you have the article written by Mr. Guilford?"

"Yes, here it is."

"How about the one written by Mr. Darlton?"

"Here."

"Hey, have you read this one, though? I think we'll get useful information that can support our findings."

"Hmmm… Let me see…"

Lelouch beams. "You're right, Kaguya. I'll do a write-up about this later then we can compare our data with its conclusion."

"By the way, I've finished the literatures last night."

"You did?" he gasps in astonishments. "How? I mean, that's a lot of work."

"I'll give credits to coffee and energy drinks."

"This is good."

" _Perhaps, I'll just call again later. Good luck, Lelouch."_

"And… I don't waste my time chatting with my girlfriend."

"Girl – Oh, shit!"

But when he turns back to the screen, it's already black.

* * *

"Monica, are we doing something wrong?"

Her friend glances down at her as she keeps her balance on the narrow stairs that lead to the clock tower of the campus.

"Wrong? What do you mean?"

C.C. grabs tightly on the railing when only a quarter of her foot could only fit on the step. "Aren't we too lax? We're doing our thesis, too but we can still find some time to spend loosely."

"And to whom are we comparing our situation with?" Resuming her trek upward, Monica finally reaches the top of the stairs. She lets out a gasp of mixed amazement and disbelief as she stands there, arms open wide, very much resembling a child who just got her present for Christmas. "This is amazing! We should have done this sooner!"

Once C.C. is beside her, the younger girl almost mimics Monica's reaction as soon as her eyes lay on the scenery below her. City lights blink graciously golden and scarlet like fallen stars in the mundane galaxy of skyscrapers and motor vehicles. They look loud and so much alive, but from up where they are, the city is muted by the nostalgic atmosphere of the night sky.

"It's beautiful," she utters.

"It is, isn't it?"

The pair basks in the tranquility that is offered by their surroundings for a while. There are a few mosquitoes that bite their skin but they don't let it ruin their moment. It feels surreal, somehow reassuring, and thoroughly mind blowing to just sit there, be in touch with your existence, be in line with the universe, and accept that you are a speck of dust in the unrealized vastness of life. It makes C.C. feel powerless and determined at the same time. She's just one in several billion yet the decisions that she made and she would make in her life could determine her future and the future of those who are close to her.

She lifts her hand and acts as if she's collecting stars.

"How did you know that I was comparing our situation with another?"

"You said 'We're doing our thesis, too'. So…?"

C.C. puts her hand on her lap and sighs. "I have a friend overseas whose time is very much occupied with it."

"Well, isn't that normal? I mean, every college student experiences that."

"But what about us? Why can we still do this?"

"Hmmm. Time management, that's it. Also, is she…"

"He."

Monica raises an eyebrow. "Is he taking the same course as ours?"

She shakes her head.

"Then, he has different requirements. C'mon, C.C. this is too easy to figure out. Why is it bothering you?"

For a moment, she hesitates to tell Monica about what has been bothering her for the past weeks, she would omit some information of course, so as to protect Lelouch's identity, but this is something new to her – to tell someone of her problems who is outside and unrelated to the Royal Family – and it makes her feel quite normal after a very long time.

She tucks her hair behind her ear and stares up at the sky. "This may sound childish, but whenever we do video calls, he is distracted by his thesis. Like we can't have a conversation that is not interrupted by his thesis partner that I have to cut it short and – "

Monica's soft chuckle cuts her off. "I'm sorry, but you, indeed, sounds so childish. A brat, to be honest. You should understand his situation. I mean, this is for his future, you know? And by the sound of it, you emerged as someone who is selfish and self-centered and wants his attention all to herself."

"Ouch."

"But it's true, right?"

_Is it?_

_Is that how it is becoming? How she is becoming?_

The uneasiness in her chest that she often feels whenever she talks to the prince grows and she cannot help but put her hand over it.

When she doesn't reply, Monica continues, "Perhaps, it's the timing of the call. Try changing your schedule. Find a time in the day when both of you are not busy."

"The time difference won't allow it."

Glancing to her left, she finds Monica smiling mischievously at her. "Is his partner a boy or a girl?"

"What does it have to do with the situation?"

"Just answer it."

"She's a girl."

"You said she interrupts your conversation with your friend?"

"Yes."

"Which means that she steals his attention from you."

She does not reply.

"Then that's it."

C.C. frowns. "That's what? Explain."

"Oh, dear C.C. I don't know if you're really unaware or you're just playing dumb, but this is coming from someone who is older than you. You are jealous."

C.C. stares at her blankly.

"You are."

"I. Am. Jealous," she slowly repeats.

"Uh-huh. You are jealous with his thesis mate because she gets his attention that should have been yours. Oh, I can't believe this. This is the second highlight of my day." Monica has a glint in her eyes that makes C.C. wish that she has the former's bashful personality as her company rather than her blunt one.

She scoffs. "Why would I be jealous?"

"Because you like him. Maybe, even inlove with him. Oooh, who is this guy? Spill his name."

"Shut up. I think you're drunk." Her comeback is weak and unreasonable for they both know that Monica didn't touch a single alcoholic beverage tonight. Standing up, she brushes her arms and jeans. "I'm sleepy, I'm going back to the apartment."

"Your eyes give you away, C.C. so might as well admit it."

When she steps foot inside her apartment, a strong urge to share her experience in the clock tower with Lelouch overpowers her. To tell him how small yet important she had felt that moment. How the citylights created a manmade galaxy and stars. It's already past midnight in Japan but it would still be evening in Britannia. She might still catch him awake.

"Oh, oh did I wake you up?"

The person on the screen rubs his eyes as a long yawn escapes his lips.

"No, I didn't realize that I fell asleep. It's late, why are you still awake?"

Opened books and notes surround him. Papers are scattered on his desk as a cup of what she assumes is coffee is sitting untouched in the middle of this academic chaos.

C.C. hesitates as she examines his appearance and room, her excitement fading away. There are bags under his eyes. His eyes themselves are bloodshot.

"I was waiting for your call earlier. Why didn't you call in our usual time?"

_Because you would have been busy that time. Because I don't want to be a bother. Because your attention wouldn't be on me._

_"Y_ _ou emerged as someone who is selfish and self-centered and wants his attention all to herself."_

"C.C. is there something wrong?" Another yawn.

She blinks. "No, nothing. Sorry. I'll let you go back to your sleep. Good night, Lelouch."

And she abruptly ends the call.

* * *

At exactly four in the afternoon, Lelouch is sitting infront of his laptop with the poise of a schoolboy who is about to get scolded by his teacher for a naughty thing he has done. Back straight, hands on his lap, he nervously waits for the call icon to appear, impatiently willing it to arrive so he can finally answer it and see her face and apologize for last night.

He had stupidly fallen asleep yesterday while doing his thesis. The nights he had stayed up so late are finally catching up on him and he is nothing but a weak human being who easily surrendered to the paradise that only sleep could offer.

So when his laptop rings in an hour that it isn't supposed to and when he is deep into dreamland, his body heavily responds - almost dragging him down, almost not wanting to wake up.

Lelouch did not expect C.C. to call so late at night (in terms of Japan standard time). In the midst of his grogginess, eyes still blurry, he noticed an excited glint in her eyes that could be the reason of her late night call. But he must have looked exhausted and sleepy that she ended the call immediately without getting the chance to tell him what happened

And why didn't he call her back?

He still freaking couldn't, goddamn him.

So when his account finally registers an incoming call, he almost jumps from his seat, and when her hesitant face occupies the screen, he is speechless for a moment.

"Did I catch you during a bad time? I can call again when you're not busy."

"What, no. I'm free. It is miraculously a free day for me."

"Oh."

There's a hidden question in her silence and he knows what it is but he pretends to be unaware of it.

"Sorry I wasn't able to talk to you properly last night. I was really out of it. Do you still want to talk about it?" He raises a hand. "I promise I'll listen to every word you'll say."

Finally, the mischievous smirk that is her trademark appears. It feels like forever since he last saw it and its presence somehow normalize the awkwardness that has been lingering in the air.

"That's such a huge promise you're making boya. Are you really up for it?"

He crosses his arms and smirks back. "Well, what else can I do? You might cry in a corner like a baby if I didn't do it. I don't want to be at the end of the twins' anger when you tell them about it."

C.C. hides her smile in a scoff. "So, I was up late last night because Monica and I climbed up the campus' highest clock tower."

"Isn't that against the university rules?" He scowls.

"It isn't when no one saw us. Anyway, so - "

His phone rings.

Glancing at his phone, Lelouch presses the ignore button when he sees Kaguya's name. She can wait later, after all, they'd both agreed to rest today. He has more important things to do.

"Go on." He nods at C.C. as he leans in further, his arms resting on his desk.

"So the steps are really narrow. Imagine just a quarter of my foot fitting on it. That would an eighth of yours."

"Tell me there were lights on or you at least had flashlights with you."

C.C. shrugs. "The light from our phones worked fine."

Oh God, he wants to smack his forehead against the desk.

"C.C., I didn't save you from Mao just for you to die from hitting your head on concrete because you fell from the stairs that you shouldn't be climbing."

A nose scrunch. Cute. "Well, I didn't. Don't project your siscon tendencies on me."

"Siscon?! I am not!"

The soft laugh that comes from her lips gives the prince the relief that he needed. So they can joke about the incident now. So they can talk about it casually now. He feels like a balloon deflating after being stretched up to its limit with so much air. This is a good sign, isn't it? Hopefully, in the near future, they can think about the incident without the burden of the pain it had brought to all of them. Hopefully, one day, they can think about the incident as something that had caused them positive changes aside from the miscommunication that happened between them.

"Oh, you are, Lelouch. If you look it up on the dictionary, your name would appear on the definition."

He gets his phone to check the dictionary and prove his point that he is not a siscon when suddenly, it rings again.

"Aren't you going to answer it?"

"This should be a free time. I don't know why she is calling."

"You look cute when you pout, Your Highness, but you'll know the reason why she is calling if you answer your phone."

He sighs. "Fine. But don't go anywhere. I'll make this quick."

"Whereelse would I go?" he hears her mumble in the background.

"Hello?"

_"Lelouch! Professor Croomy wants to meet us right now!"_

His brows furrow at the sudden situation. "Why?"

_"I don't know but when she told me that, she had a smile on his face. I have a great feeling about this."_

"Is it really necessary to go now? I'm in the middle of something." He throws a worried glance at C.C. who gives him a thumbs up in return. Immediately, he lifts his hand to ask her to wait.

_"Yes. She's only available at this hour and she mentioned that it is urgent to meet her. What are you doing anyway that is more important than this?"_

C.C. is writing on a small white board that came out of nowhere.

_"Oh, I know. You're chatting with your girlfriend again, aren't you?"_

"I said she's not my girlfriend."

_"You are impossible. You're the one who has been going on and on about putting our 110% focus in our thesis yet there was never a day when you didn't chat with her while we were doing our work."_

C.C., on the other hand, raises her board that says: 'It's okay. I'll just call again next time.'

Lelouch vehemently shakes his head. "I'll call you back after 15 minutes."

_"What?! Hey!"_

And he ends the call while Kaguya launches on her speech. He will surely hear the rest of it later but first, he needs to manage his priorities. "Do you need to leave? You can leave, you know."

He looks at her apologetically. "I'm so sorry. Our professor wants to see us now."

C.C. raises a brow. "Why are you saying sorry? Go, Lelouch. I'll just call again later."

"No."

He gulps.

"I'll call you. I promise."

Eyes soft, a defeated smile graces her lips. "That's an even bigger promise to fulfill these days, I may not hold my breath for it."

The underlying message hits him hard but still he says, "I'll do it this time."

Good thing, she didn't.

He never called for the rest of the day.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! How are you doing? Hope you are all having a good time. Quick note. I made a correction in Chapter 16. C.C. is supposed to be gone for FOUR months but I wrongly put two months in her and Lelouch's dialogues. So there are a bit of adjustments, sorry. That's all. Thank you for your continuous support for this story, and this is coming to an end. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

**Chapter 18**

Suzaku Kururugi has never seen his friend this drunk.

Well, they occasionally drink every now and then when there is something to celebrate about but Lelouch has never reached a state of drunkenness where he becomes mopey, whiney and completely out of his princely self.

When the prince called him earlier, he already felt that something was wrong by the tone of his voice. When Lelouch asked him to meet him at the palace's bar after classes, Suzaku became certain that he was indeed suffering from something.

The man in subject currently has his hands on his face while groaning and grumbling and making those other depressing sounds that make Suzaku sigh. Lelouch had already finished three bottles and is now on his fourth.

_Click!_

"What are you doing, Kururugi?" Lelouch mumbles in his hands.

"I'll send this to C.C. so she can use it to blackmail you later. You look pathetic, Lelouch, I can't help but take a proof of it."

"Shut up and delete it. Don't let that witch have more power over me."

The prince runs his hands down his face and slumps on his chair. Suzaku keeps his phone away and takes a gulp of his drink.

Lelouch continues to grumble. "I fucked up, shit, goddamn it."

And yes, he can put all curses in one coherent sentence when he is intoxicated.

The knight just remains silent and lets him talk about his problem. If there is one thing that he learns from drunk people it is to let them say and express what they want for it is when they are free of inhibitions and most honest with their feelings.

"I fucking promised her that I would call her. I PROMISED her, Suzaku. Do you understand?"

Suzaku does so he nods.

"But I didn't. I mean, I want to... For a while now. Ever since she left, I goddamn want to drag her back here, do you understand, Suzaku? I want her where I can see her all the time and make sure she's safe."

"I do. Then why don't you call her now?"

"Because I fucking can't."

"Care to elaborate?" Ah, the bartender outdid himself with this drink. If not for the bittersweet aftertaste, he would have thought that he is drinking a fruity juice. The subtle taste of the alcohol is almost unnoticeable and if he would not be careful, he might end up as drunk as his companion. He is not a big fan of strong drinks so this perfectly suits his tastes.

"Because if I do, it will be like I'm surrendering... like I'm giving in. And once I do, I can never stop. I know I won't stop. And I've decided to stop, remember? I backed out as her suitor. I decided not to pursue her anymore. This," Lelouch madly points at his phone that is lying on top of the table as if it is the demon itself, "is my self-control. My sanity intact. Because God knows how my resolve will easily break once I press that fucking button. Do you understand, Suzaku?"

Suzaku sighs and turns his chair to his friend. He has never seen him so torn and burdened as this except for that time after Mao's incident. But the difference is he kept all of his thoughts and emotions to himself at that time that not even Suzaku could figure out what course of decision and action the prince would take. "Finally, you became honest with your feelings. I was kind of worried when you talked so calmly about that when we were in the library. I've got one question, though. Did she tell you to stop? Are those C.C.'s exact words?"

"Those are two questions," Lelouch grumbles before taking a swig of his drink. "She said she couldn't be with a man like me. Same meaning."

"A man like you," echoes Suzaku. "Like what?"

Lelouch glares at him with his bloodshot eyes. "You already know, don't make me say it anymore."

He shakes his head. "I admire you for owning up to your mistakes and flaws, for trying your best to be a better person after what had happened. But I think you made a very rushed decision regarding halting the courtship. Did she really say that? Were those her exact words?"

A contemplative look crosses the prince's face and he remains silent.

"Or was she talking about it in a situational sense? Not exactly like 'you' but a more general comparison with a certain type of individual? Because as much as C.C. got upset with us before, I believe that she knew that you are not a bad person."

"You don't have to comfort me, Suzaku."

"I am not comforting you, Lelouch. I am just talking hypothetically and looking at the other side of things because this is obviously affecting your relationship with her. Look at you right now. I've never seen you this drunk."

A hiccup. "I'm not drunk."

"And we know that C.C. is probably upset too, alone in her apartment, waiting for a call from a certain someone. You are special to her, Lelouch. The bond between the two of you is far more different and intimate than ours. So if you are having a hard time right now, I know that she is suffering too from your lack of initiative to communicate with her honestly unlike before. Have you thought of that? Did it ever cross your mind that your 'self-preservation' could have been negatively affecting her?"

"I know that," the prince murmurs sadly.

Suzaku calls the bartender and asks for a refill. Really, he could turn this mix into a business and it will certainly propagate. Later, Suzaku thinks, he will have a talk with the bartender and offer him some opportunities, though being able to work in the palace is a big enough opportunity and honor.

"The only best solution that I could think of is for the two of you to be honest with each other. You cannot go on and continue ignoring the big fat rock that sits between the two of you. Unless..." He glances sideways at Lelouch, "You are fine with it to head into an eventual parting of your ways. That's a close second solution if you desire to save the both of you from suffering. You wouldn't have to worry about how to face her anymore, or the how your heart skips a beat when her scent invades your senses, or the thrill you feel just by hearing her voice. Would you like that, Lelouch?"

This time, when he glances at his friend, Suzaku finds his phone already in his hand, Lelouch's fingers pressing the call button. Then the phone is on the prince's ear, the faint ringing sound from the other end is barely audible. Suzaku smiles secretly.

"It's not that I'm stopping you but are you sure about calling her while your drunk?"

"I said I am not that drunk."

But as the prince stands, he almost stumble and faceplant on the ground if not for Suzaku's swift reflexes.

Lelouch brushes him off. "I'm fine."

Suzaku raises his hands in surrender. "Whatever you say, Your Highness."

She might have already picked up for Lelouch suddenly perks up and a nervous glint settles on his unfocused eyes. As he passes by Suzaku, he gives the latter a hard squeeze on his shoulder, a silent gratitude for his company and words.

And Suzaku wishes that his two most important friends would finally be brave in facing their feelings.

* * *

"Lelouch?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm still here."

"Why are you calling? Is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing. I mean yes, there is."

"Are you drunk?"

"Kind of."

Eyes blurry, C.C. checks the blinking clock on top of her nightstand. 2:13 AM. She rubs her eyes to remove her sleepiness and turns over her side. As much as her heart thudded as soon as she saw his name flashed on her phone's screen for the very first time since she left, she cannot help but worry about the reason of his sudden call at an hour that they both know is very late for her.

Plus, he is drunk.

"What happened, Lelouch?" She suppresses a yawn.

"I'm sorry for calling this late, C.C. And I'm sorry for not calling when I promised I would."

The deflated feeling that she felt while waiting for her phone or laptop to ring yesterday returns that her answer comes out with a deep sigh. "It's fine. I know you're busy nowadays."

"It's not fine. I promised you," Lelouch grumbles like a child.

She chuckles. "It's really fine. I did not mope about it." But her chuckle turns into tears and sniffs.

"I'm sorry for how I've been treating you for the past weeks. For being such a terrible and stupid friend who only thinks of himself."

"Why?"

There is a long silence before Lelouch replies that C.C. thought he had fallen asleep and this was one of those TV drama scenes where she wouldn't know what he truly wanted to say. So she feels relieved when she hears his voice again.

"I'm drunk, right? So I can say whatever I want and have the excuse of being intoxicated if ever I say something stupid, right Cera?" he says but the slur in his speech is weaker and almost inaudible now than earlier.

"Hm."

Silence.

"I miss you."

C.C. closes her eyes as she presses her phone closer to her ear. There's something more intimate, something more personal in having just to hear his low voice in the middle of the night. On a regular day, his voice is deep, full yet also smooth. But right now, in the darkness of her room, in the quietness of her surroundings, the huskiness caused by the alcohol made his every word feel like a secret being whispered to her ear. She hugs Cheese-kun tighter.

"Okay."

"Sometimes, it becomes too much that just seeing your face hurts, too."

She imagines him sitting on his bed – right leg bent close to his body, his right elbow resting on his knee, his forehead on his palm. Or perhaps he is slump on the chair near the window, gazing at the stars and moon. Or maybe, just like her, he is simply lying on his bed.

"Was that the reason why you immediately cut our calls before?"

"Yes. I'm sorry."

C.C. takes in a deep breath as her chest feels like constricting.

"Cera, I'm drunk."

"Yes, you are, Lelouch," she lies.

"I actually hate it… Not being able to court you anymore. Holding myself back, reminding myself not to overstep boundaries when all I want to do is to fucking cross the oceans for you. I hate that I cannot completely express how much I…"

C.C. waits.

A tired sigh.

"But that was the right thing to do, right? In that situation, that's the best decision to make. Am I correct, Cera?"

"I…" She closes her eyes briefly and when she opens them again, she decides to be fully honest with him. "I honestly don't know, but I know I didn't like it. It felt like the sun and moon collided and I was at the very middle of the collision when you told me that you were withdrawing."

"And now?" Lelouch solemnly asks.

"I still don't like it. I'm honestly upset with how things are turning out. It's like I'm losing you, Lelouch."

"You won't lose me."

Another silence.

And then…

"Cera?"

"Lelouch?"

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too."

"I love you."

"I…"

Monica's words echo in her head.

" _Because you like him. Maybe, even inlove with him."_

" _Your eyes give you away, C.C. so might as well admit it."_

"You have my heart," she silently whispers into the phone.

And when she utters those words, she feels like she can finally fly, soar up, up, so high into the sky.

"Yeah?" There's a hint of disbelief and gratitude in his voice.

"Hm… Are you going to forget about this? Since you are 'drunk', are you going to forget about this conversation when morning comes?"

"I won't forget it for the rest of my life."

"Me, too."

A few hours before the sun rises, after more exchanges of whispered words and promises, the both of them – separated by vast lands and oceans, by time differences and seasons – fall deeply and peacefully asleep together after a very long time.

* * *

And so the days turn into weeks which eventually turn into months. Strangely, after the conversation that night, everything seems to flow smoothly for Lelouch and C.C.

All of the pieces of the prince's thesis suddenly come together, forming one coherent and efficient standpoint that even their professors praised. He still endures sleepless nights but he does not wake up grumpy and wary in the mornings anymore. Even Kaguya notices the change in his moods.

"What ever happened to you?" she asks one sunny Tuesday afternoon as they work at the final chapters of their thesis.

Lelouch looks up from his laptop and stares at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"There's something different…" Tilting her head to the side, she taps her chin. "You're not gloomy anymore."

The prince scowls. "When was I gloomy?"

"Oh, I don't know, ever since the classes resumed. Perhaps, your girlfriend not calling these past days got something to do with your mood. Did you guys break up?"

"No."

"No? No, she's not your girlfriend or no, you didn't break up?"

Lelouch sighs. "Just plain 'no', Kaguya."

"Well, whatever. At least your completing your tasks faster and more efficiently now."

"I am truly sorry for being a burden and a headache to you from the beginning. But I assure you that this time, from now on, you're not going to have to worry about it on your own. Thank you for being such a reliable partner, Kaguya."

Surprised by receiving sudden humility and gratitude from a royalty, a faint blush appears on Kaguya's cheeks and she could only utter a soft, "No problem."

Even the palace residences take note of Lelouch's shift in disposition. His family who only see him during the weekends gladly welcome this refreshed version of him.

"I wonder what happened," Rolo muses as they watch from afar their brother and Suzaku playing chess in the Aries Villa.

"Right? There's an extra bounce on brother's steps and his smile is much more natural and brighter than what he had been giving us. Perhaps, the thing that was bothering him is now gone," Nunnally says as she swings her legs back and forth.

"I heard that he is almost done with his thesis. Maybe that's it."

"Or Rolo," his twin turns to him, a knowing smile on her face. "Do you notice that Lady C.C. seems quite glowing, too, at the same time with brother? Now, I wonder what happened between  _them._ "

Rolo contemplates. "I think Lady C.C. does become much prettier lately."

"That is the look of love, Rolo."

This makes him scrunch his nose. "How can you say, Nunnally? You don't have any proof."

"The proof is right infront of us." She points at Lelouch who is obviously concentrating to the game. "Do you see that hint of a secret smile on his lips? It's permanently there, Rolo. As if he's always thinking of something or of  _someone_  that makes him happy."

"Or maybe, he is winning the game," he grumbles.

Nunnally slaps her forehead. "Oh boys, really you are so dense! Lady C.C, has been wearing that kind of smile, too whenever she video calls us."

"O-Oh."

"Really, 'oh'. Do you get it now, Rolo?"

"I guess so. But… What if it's actually for a very different reason? Lady C.C. said that they seldom call each other now because of their schedules, right? What if it is because of a whole different person?"

"There's one way to find out."

Nunnally retrieves her phone from her pocket and starts scrolling down her contact list. From the background, Rolo asks her what she is doing but she only ignores him. As soon as she finds the name that she is looking for, she quickly presses 'Call' and puts the phone on speaker.

"Hello, Nunnally."

She perks up. "Hi, Lady C.C. Did I catch you on a good time?"

"Yes, I was just reading a recipe for my dinner."

"From Lelouch, right?"

There's a smile on the older lady's voice. "Ah yes, from your brother."

She gazes at Rolo meaningfully.  _Do you hear that?_

"Oh, he is actually with us. You can ask him about it." And before C.C. could respond, Nunnally shouts her brother's name to call his attention.

"Lady C.C. is on the phone! She needs help about the recipe that you sent her."

And from their seat, the twins watch as their older brother gracefully excuses himself from the game. They notice how Suzaku looks up at him with his own knowing smile, too. Lelouch walks calmly, as if he has all the time in the world to trek the small distance between him and the twins, as if he is not excited or thrilled about the call at all. But Nunnally could definitely see it – how his steps are wider than necessary, how there is a subtle urgency in his energy, and how his glimmering eyes are fixed on her gadget. She wonders if Rolo could see it, too.

Upon reaching their place, she hands over the phone to him and had a quick laugh when his brother flinched from the loud voice of Lady C.C.

"Sorry, it is on speaker."

"Thank you, Nunnally. I'll be back."

He walks over to the big tree at the center of the garden and leans against its trunk. With his back on them, Lelouch puts his right hand inside his pocket.

"What are you up to?"

They both look up at Suzaku who is approaching their seats.

Nunnally shrugs. "Oh, we're just observing Lelouch."

"We're actually observing his back. How can we succeed with this?" Rolo complains.

"Hush. You've been nothing but negative about this."

"And why are we observing the prince?"

Settling beside her, Nunnally could tell that the knight is enjoying this, too.

"Just curious. Say, Suzaku, do you have an idea why brother is suddenly in a better mood? Does it have something to do with Lady C.C.?"

"Well, that is not my secret to tell. But I think you're observant enough too figure things out on your own. Look."

So they look. And they watch as Lelouch rubs his nape as if he is being shy. As he runs his fingers through his hair and tilts his head up to the sky. As his foot kicks a stray rock as if his body cannot contain the giddy energy that is emanating from him. The three of them watch as his shoulders start to shake until he is full-on laughing which he actually rarely does.

"I've never seen him so happy like that," Rolo murmurs.

Nunnally's grin is wide and triumphant. "Well, I told you so, Rolo. I told you so."

* * *

Monica would not believe C.C. when the latter told her who she is about to meet in a few minutes.

Nope. Definitely impossible. C.C. must be pranking her. Taking revenge for the teasing she had been doing lately. Well, she was just actually very happy for her friend. Happy that C.C. finally made up with her overseas friend. The girl literally blooms like a flower in the spring after telling her that she and this mysterious friend of hers had a late night talk over the phone.

She has been glowing ever since and not only Monica had noticed but also their other classmates and some boys in the campus. Not that she is not famous before, C.C. has her fair share of admirers what with her enigmatic and almost cold beauty. But this past month, a number of boys and even some girls had asked her out but C.C. politely declines.

And Monica is quite certain it is because of this mysterious overseas friend whom she is about to meet in a matter of moments WHO also happens to be the First Prince of Britannia. Unbelievable.

"C.C., I know I've been annoying to you recently but isn't this such an impractical prank to pull off? I mean, Prince Lelouch vi Britannia? Hello?"

The green-haired girl briefly glances at her before continuing to type her password. "He wanted to meet you, Monica. The precious and great friend who takes care and keeps me company. Those are his exact words by the way."

"This is impossible. I am not about to meet a real prince through a computer screen while wearing only this ugly oversized sweater and horrendous leggings. At least give me time to make myself presentable." But she is actually getting nervous now.

"Don't worry, you look great. Just act naturally. He doesn't bite."

"I swear to God, if this is a whole joke – "

"Oh, it's ringing… Lelouch…"

"C.C…."

Monica's eyes almost bug out of their sockets upon seeing the handsome and gorgeous face of the most famous prince in the world infront of her. He looks just exactly like his pictures in the magazines, newspapers and the internet and Monica is a firm believer that most images in those platforms are already altered by photoshop. His face is flawless. She feels like she is sinking into the deepest waters and C.C.'s voice are all muffled from the land. Her nervousness intensifies as the prince lays his bright purple eyes at her.

"Nice to meet you, Monica. Thank you for being C.C.'s companion there in Japan."

"I-It's nothing! She's m-my friend!"  _Why is she shouting?_

"Monica wouldn't believe me when I said that she's going to meet the one and only Lelouch vi Britannia. She thought that I was pranking her."

_C.C.! Why are you saying unnecessary things?_

The prince raises an eyebrow. "Well, if based on your past actions, I truly understand her."

C.C. smirks. "I see that you are still bitter for all of those times that you fell into my traps."

"Not bitter. Just learning a lesson of being careful when I'm dealing with a witch."

She waves him off. "Yes, yes. Whatever you say, Your Highness."

Monica feels like a bystander as she watches the banter unfolds before her. It is evident that the two shares a deep bond that only people who knew each other for a very long time have. But what's more fascinating is how they try to hide their emotions from their audience when they are all strongly mirrored in their eyes. She feels like an intruder, or even a lucky person to be granted the opportunity to catch a glimpse of their own world. And what a feat it is for she has only been in it for a matter of seconds.

"C.C. mentioned that you stayed in Switzerland during the break and that you invited her to come with you next time."

"Yes, yes I did, Your Highness."

"Well, we are actually planning on going there after graduation. Like a post-graduation trip together with my other siblings and friends."

"Oh, I can be your tour guide! That is if it is okay with you,' she ends shyly.

The smile that the prince gives her is enough to make her swoon for a moment. "That would be terrific. And speaking of graduation, the final date for ours was announced earlier."

"When is it?" C.C. asks.

"On the 28th next month. How about you? Do you already have a date?"

_On the 28_ _th_ _? But that's…_

"Not yet. They are still finalizing the details."

Monica glances as C.C., puzzled and worried.

"Well, let me know as soon as it is announced. The whole family will definitely attend it."

"I will."

"Uhm, excuse me."

Both of them look at her at the same time making her feel like a spotlight is turned on her.

"I'm sorry… Your Highness, but I have another urgent appointment to go to. I'm sorry for being rude."

"No problem. It's my pleasure to meet you. And I am looking forward to seeing you soon."

"Me, too, Your Highness. Have a nice day."

"I'll just see her out," says C.C.

By the doorway, Monica confronts C.C. about the lie that she had told the prince. Leaning against the post, she crosses her arms.

"Why didn't you tell him the truth?" she whispers.

"I'll tell him. I was just caught off guard earlier."

"If our graduation dates are both on the same day, who's gonna attend yours? Because surely, the royal family will be attending the prince's." And Monica knows that C.C. is an orphan.

C.C. shrugs. "It's fine. It's just another day with a ceremony."

But she knows that she is lying. Monica has seen the excitement and expectation in C.C.'s eyes when their professor announced the update yesterday. All of their hardwork, sleepless nights and dedication will finally culminate into a ceremony that almost every student dreams and looks forward to. A ceremony that is normally celebrated with their families and loved ones. And C.C. may not have both of them next month. Ah, she feels terrible for her friend. If only she can do something about it.

Oh. Maybe she can.

Monica reaches out and squeezes C.C.'s upper arm, giving her an assuring and encouraging look. "Grandma will be coming that day. I've told her about you and she couldn't wait to meet you. She actually told me that she will be cheering for the both of us."

The smile and the light in C.C.'s eyes assure Monica that she said the right things. "Really? That's very kind of her. I'm excited to meet her, too."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure that you'll get along well. She is also called the 'Witch' in our family for her mischievousness and tricks."

"Sounds like I'm about to meet my soulmate."

"You are. Well then, I have to go. Give the prince my regards."

"I will. Thank you, Monica."

"But please, no more surprises like this in the future, okay? I think this could make up my quota for surprises for the next ten years." she says exasperatedly.

And the witch only laughs.

* * *

C.C. closes the door behind her silently. Taking in deep breaths, she calms herself so that her disappointment wouldn't mirror in her eyes nor echo in her voice. When she is ready, she strides back to the sofa where the smiling face of the prince welcomes her back.

And he greets, "Hello, love."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

This is something so new. Something so foreign.

Something that feels so strange yet exhilarating.

Is this what Suzaku and Euphy feel like whenever they are within each other's presence? Like bees are swarming and tickling your stomach? Like your limbs are restless from this uncontained energy that surges through your body? Like there's a permanent pressure on your chest that causes you to sigh every now and then?

Is this how letting yourself fall inlove actually feels like?

Because Lelouch vi Britannia is certainly having the best and most exciting days of his life.

There is a constant flutter that shadows each of his movement making him feel like he is walking on air, making him feel like he is floating among the clouds. The media does not lie about its representation about love and he acknowledges that now. When before, he thought that everything shown on TV felt like an exaggeration of that certain emotion, now he feels as if they are not doing enough to express reality.

And he wonders how he looks like from the outside. He is quite certain that his family, especially the twins have noticed the change in his mood. Perhaps he looks like a fool smiling to himself without any particular reason. Or just plain dumb with the dreamy expression that he permanently wears right now.

But whatever, he is willing to look and sound like the sappiest man on earth if he would always get to see C.C. blush upon hearing him call her 'Love' for the first time.

_The witch blinked at him repeatedly and he worried that he had said something wrong._

" _C.C.?"_

" _What did you call me?"_

" ' _Love'. I called you, 'Love'." Suddenly, he was nervous. Was it too soon to call her with an endearment? But it had been weeks since they started dating._

_Wait._

_Were they dating?_

_Could he call this situation between them as 'dating'?_

_Was this even considered as 'dating'?_

_Did they even agree that they were dating?_

_Oh God, Lelouch couldn't freaking remember. All he knew was that they bared and admitted their feelings that particular night. Oh God, did he just ruin the moment?_

_C.C. looked away and hid her face behind her long hair._

_He cleared his throat, his palms started to sweat. "I-Is it too soon? You don't like it? I'm sorry… I – "_

" _No."_

_Shit, how to do damage control during this kind of situation?_

_C.C. shook her head then covered her face with her hands._

_Really bad situation here, Captain._

" _I mean, no, it's not too soon. I was just…" Through the spaces between her fingers, her amber ayes peeked at him, "I was just caught off guard." And when she finally removed her hands from her face, the intense blush on her cheeks greeted Lelouch._

" _Are you blushing, C.C.?" he asked dumbly._

" _Don't state the obvious, Lelouch," said C.C. with a glare that was supposed to be biting but ended up like she was squinting because her shyness overpowered her fake anger._

_And Lelouch found it so adorable._

_And good Lord, it was his turn to blush._

" _Are you blushing, too, Lelouch?"_

" _I wonder whose fault is that," he mumbled._

_They stared at each other for a moment – the both of them were as red as tomato, until they finally broke into fits of laughter._

" _This is awkward," C.C. said through giggles. "Are we going to be like this for the rest of our lives?"_

_The implication that they'd be together for a long time made Lelouch giddy._

" _We'll get used to this. I'm pretty sure, we will."_

But every day and every night still feels like a new discovery for the prince. It is so different and staggering to perceive the world through the eyes of someone who is inlove and has his love returned. As if his eyes are filtered with a kaleidoscope of hues, turning each moment a color of its own, turning each second a story to be told.

And Lelouch does not want any second of it, any moment of it to end.

* * *

C.C. cannot help but smile at the picture Lelouch sent to her phone. It was of him and the twins wearing their Cheese-kun T-shirts that she sent as gifts.

"Did he send you a nude picture?"

C.C. chokes on air.

Monica pats her back gently and says, "Don't die on me now. I don't want to experience the prince's wrath."

"Then stop saying stupid things." Lifting her hand, she puts her phone infront of her friend's face, so near that Monica is cross-eyed. "Cute, right?"

The blonde woman holds her wrist and pushes her hand away. "Yes. The twins are really adorable."

"They are my children," C.C. proudly announces.

"Uh-huh. So have you told him about the graduation?"

Unwrapping her burger, C.C. shrugs and begins eating her food. "I can't find the right timing. He is always as bright as sunshine whenever he calls and I wouldn't like to ruin his mood."

"But the graduation is in three weeks!"

"I know that. Let me handle this, Monica. And I believe…" C.C. gives her friend a knowing look that only witches are capable of doing. "You owe me a story. What is this rumor circulating that you are secretly dating our assistant professor, hmmm?"

"Where did you hear that?" Monica continues to munch on her burger as if the question does not bother her a bit.

"Some seniors are talking about it earlier. Is it true?"

Another shrug from the older girl but this time, she answers, "There's nothing wrong about it, right? I mean he is a student like us. He just happened to be an assistant of our prof."

"Since when?"

"A couple of weeks now."

Oh, C.C. thinks. So that might have been part of the reason why Monica would suddenly leave telling her that she has an urgent appointment.

A feeling of sadness encloses her heart. Did Monica think that she would get angry? Did she think that C.C. would judge her?

"Why didn't you tell me?" she silently asks.

But Monica simply waves her worries off. Her right hand missing the bottle of ketchup by a mere centimeter. "Hey, it's nothing to be sad about. I didn't tell you because I liked you to focus on your very new relationship with the prince. I mean, this is your first relationship, right? I wanted you to bask in the giddiness and sappiness of being inlove. And I see that you are very much enjoying it."

Putting her elbow on the table and placing her chin on her palm, C.C. is a picture of contentment. "I actually do. But is it alright to be so happy like this, Monica? To be so indescribably and irrevocably happy with someone?" She turns her eyes down. "Sometimes, I feel afraid that this is all just a dream and one day I would have to wake up from it. Or a dream that would suddenly turn into a nightmare. After all that we've been through…" She sighs. "Nothing is impossible."

"There you said it," Monica says so firmly causing C.C. to look up at her. Her blue eyes shine with conviction like a lawyer fighting hard for a case. "I don't know what you are referring to and it sounds like a heavy matter to discuss in a fastfood restaurant, but yes,  _after all_  that you've been through, you are now at this stage.  _After all_ that you've been through, you ended up being together. And that's saying something, right?"

C.C. nods. "Yes. You are right."

"It's cute, though, to see you so worried about humane things like this. The ever-cold Cera Corabelle, that is what some of our classmates call you by the way, the witch as Prince Lelouch calls her, which I honestly think of as a term of endearment, is just having her first love-related problem at the last year of her teen-age years. It's like puberty hits you so late."

"I am honored that my suffering brings you immense happiness. Such a good friend you are, Monica."

"Indeed a fascinating sight."

"'I'll mention this to your grandma when we finally meet. I'll tell her what a supportive and great friend you are."

Monica's eyes widen as a comical panic expression appears on her face. "No, don't tell her. She would pester me about it non-stop. And when I say 'non-stop', I am not joking. I would actually dream of her scolding me."

"Hmmm…" C.C. checks her nails then looks at her friend through her eyelashes. "You can still bargain for it."

"Bargain? There's a price?"

She smirks. "Well, of course! You're dealing with a  _witch_ anyway."

* * *

"Lelouch, when are we going to Japan?"

The first prince of Britannia looks up from the book that he is reading and is greeted by the expectant face of his younger sister. "Hmmm… C.C. hasn't told me the date of her graduation yet. But it looks like it would be after mine since she seems in no rush of updating me."

"Oh, I see! Well, Rolo and I have been searching for the things that we could do while we are there. And foods that we could try! I can't wait to eat some authentic takoyaki, and visit their temples, and oh, OH! Is it possible to attend a festival? Can I wear a yukata?"

Fascinated by Nunnally's enthusiasm, Lelouch cannot help but laugh. "I've got to check with C.C. first if there would be any festival by the time of our visit."

"I hope there is one. Rolo may not admit it, but he is so looking forward to this trip, too. Are you excited about it, brother?"

He nods automatically." Of course I am."

And Nunnally gives him a knowing smile. "Of course you will be."

* * *

"So… Does your graduation have a fixed date already?"

The overflowing cheese on the pizza slice in between C.C.'s teeth drips fluidly down to her table as the food remains suspended from her mouth. Like a child who is caught by her mother doing something naughty, she stares at Lelouch with wide eyes.

The latter's eyebrows scrunch together as he squints at the dripping yellow goodness. "You're messing up your table."

Sighing, C.C. reluctantly removes the pizza from her mouth and places it on a plate. Well, it is time to tell him the truth. In fact, she has been wasting so many days by not telling him the situation.

"Lelouch…" she starts as she tries to call his attention from the stain on her table.

"Yes, C.C.?" he answers while scrutinizing the innocent cheese.

"The truth is… My graduation day is the same day as yours."

At this, the prince's head quickly turns to her.

"Your graduation day is the same day as mine," Lelouch repeats slowly.

C.C. nods. "Yes. I've known about it since last week. I just… Sorry, I didn't tell you immediately."

She waits for his response but the prince just leans back on his chair and crosses his arms infront of his chest. Then he looks out at his room's window and begins talking to himself. "Same day… Same day, huh? Considering the time difference is still useless. Hmmm…"

C.C. watches as he contemplates, her eyes narrowing at the scene infront of her. "You won't do anything impulsive, right?"

But he just ignores her.

She knows this look very well - intense eyes, lipbite. This is the look that he always wears when he is about to do something secretive and unexpected. When he is about to pull a prank on her when she least expects it. This was how he looked like when he hid Cheese-kun in the palace's storage room as a revenge for her hiding his precious chess set back when he was 17 and she was 15.

And there is no certainty whether the outcome is good or bad.

"Lelouch..." she calls in a low voice.

A couple of nods and then, "Okay, that's it. Right. Excellent."

"What are you planning?"

He looks at her as if surprised that she is still there. "Planning?" he innocently asks back. "I'm not planning anything. I just remembered something Suzaku said earlier."

He is definitely lying.

She had memorized his tells whenever he lies and this definitely qualifies as one.

"Whatever it is, remember that you are a prince and you carry the name of Britannia on your shoulders."

Lelouc raises an eyebrow. "Well, isn't this such a rare sight? The witch is actually thinking about my reputation after all of the embarrassing pranks that she had pulled on me."

Putting her chin on her palm, she smirks at him teasingly. "Not your reputation but mine. I don't want to have a dumb boyfriend whose mess I've got to clean every time."

Silence.

A servant knocks and enters Lelouch's room, bringing him his dinner. As soon as the servant leaves, the prince begins spurting nonsense as a blush blooms on his cheeks.

"Who ever thinks that 'boyfriend' is an elegant word to label people who are bound by an emotion as powerful as love? It must be equalized with a term that would perfectly carry its meaning. Something that would slip easily from your tongue like how your feelings easily overflow for someone like..."

"Like?" C.C. prods, completely amused.

"Like... Well, 'beau' definitely sounds better. 'Soul mate' is also acceptable. 'Better half' sounds deep and endearing."

"I didn't know that you are picky with these things."

Lelouch shrugs nonchalantly. "Well, the most beautiful and important person in my life only deserves the prettiest words out there."

A warm, delighted smile slowly graces C.C.'s lips. Her heart skips a bit and butterflies unfurl in her stomach upon hearing his sweet words. If not for the thousands of miles and screen monitor separating them from each other, she could have kissed him already. And not just a quick peck on the cheek but a long grateful kiss to return his sincerity.

Kiss... huh? Now that she is thinking about it, they would have to do it eventually. When she goes back to Britannia. Soon. And when they do it this time, the both of them would be fully aware of their actions - actions that are done intentionally and willingly - unlike that accidental first kiss that they shared in the airport years ago.

Her eyes dart to his mouth and a warm feeling bubbles in her chest that makes her toes curl in undeniable anticipation.

"Earth to C.C."

" 'Beloved'," she utters.

"Hmmm?"

Her amber eyes meet his clear amethyst ones and she explains, "Since you call me 'Love', I think it is just fitting to use the word, 'Beloved' instead of 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend'."

"Beloved..." Lelouch tries the sound of the word from his mouth and is obviously pleased by how elegant and graceful it rolls off his tongue. "Cherished, precious, darling, dear, loved... C.C..."

"Lelouch?"

"You're a genius," he declares in wonder.

Proud of herself, C.C. folds her arms infront of her, a triumphant look masks her face. "Always. I'm glad that you are finally acknowledging the truth. Anyway, back to the graduation, promise me that you won't do anything rash. It's totally fine for you to miss mine. You can't actually leave yours since you're going to deliver a speech. Just take a video of it and send it to me."

Lelouch nods at her direction. "You've got quite a generous amount of pizza behind you."

Glancing behind her, the green-haired lady is delighted once again by the piles of pizza boxes on the dining table. "They're the result of a bargain with Monica."

"Witches and their love for bargains." Lelouch shakes his head. "Well then, I won't keep you up so late. I'll see you soon."

"I'll tell you when my flight back to Britannia is later. Good night, Lelouch."

"Good night,  _my beloved_."

* * *

Lelouch taps the hard surface of the table in a rhythm that only he can hear. His eyes wander at the plaques and awards posted on the high walls – 'Professor of the Year' National Level, 'Academic Excellence Awards', Plaques of Recognition for his outstanding contribution to the educational system of the country – just to name a few. On top of the desk behind his chair are picture frames of his family and colleagues. The room is an image of achievement and success that is both inspiring and intimidating. The university president is indeed a very notable and remarkable man. His passion for learning and knowledge mirrors in the way he teaches his students with most of them becoming successful philanthropists in their chosen field.

And if Lelouch is going to be honest, the president is one of the reasons why he didn't heed to his mother's advice to graduate early. He enjoys being mentored by one dedicated man.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Your Highness. The meeting had taken longer than I expected."

Lelouch stands up in respect as the sixty-something year old professor walks to his seat with uneven footsteps. The stylish cane under his right hand is a symbol of both eminence and wisdom.

"It's alright, sir. I'm the one who asked for your time."

"Please sit down," the president gestures.

Getting his thick eyeglasses that hang on his collar, the president puts it over his icy blue eyes. He overlaps his hands on the table and gives the prince a fatherly smile. "Congratulations on being the Summa Cum Laude this year. The Emperor and Empress must be tremendously proud."

"Thank you, and indeed they are. Mother is already planning a post-graduation celebration where you are certainly invited. It would be a great pleasure to have you there."

"I would surely be there," the older man smiles.

"So I am here to hand you this." Lelouch opens his satchel and retrieves a large brown envelope which he then turns over to the president. "It is my valedictory speech. If you could read it and give your insights on the areas that I can improve, it would be a big help."

The president pats the envelope on his desk. "I will definitely review it later. Is that all that I can do for you, Your Highness?"

Ah finally, there they are. The magic words.

Straightening his back, Lelouch turns his whole body towards the older man, his chin slightly tilted up. He wears a smile reserved only for political meetings and diplomatic affairs and tells the president the main reason why he is here, "Actually, there is another thing…"

* * *

Charles and Marianne both have stray tears in their eyes as they listen to their oldest son deliver his speech infront of the whole senior population of the university. As his deep voice that had matured throughout the ages echoes in the high ceilings of the hall, telling people his experiences, encouraging them to thrive for excellence yet not to be afraid to make mistakes. They watch from the balcony as the first prince grabs the sides of the podium and empowers the audience with words of principles and future hopes.

"I can see it clearly," the Emperor utters, his eyes never leaving his son. "How he will be like this when he rules the country – honest, principled and dignified."

"I still can't believe it. It was just like yesterday when I held him in my arms, so tiny and dependent to me. It was just like yesterday when he would cry whenever I disappear from his eyes when he was younger." Marianne retrieves her handkerchief and dabs it on the edges of her eyes. "But now, he is graduating from college. My baby is all grown-up."

"And he grew up so well."

"And then he is going to take over some official works and then he's going to get married, and have children and I'm going to be a grandmother and…"

Charles pats his wife's back gently, hopefully to calm her before the Empress' litany reaches the point where the twins have children, too. He does not need to develop a headache at this occasion. "Now, now. Take this one step at a time. He is still young. Taking masters and doctorate degrees is not an impossible path if we are talking about Lelouch. Who knows, he might still be a student next year."

A sudden burst of applause erupts inside the hall and the pair automatically gives a standing ovation to their son. Lelouch quickly finds their section and waves gratefully at them.

As much as Charles would want to release a very loud cheer for him, that would be reserved for a more intimate set-up for he has a reputation to hold in public. But Empress Marianne doesn't hesitate to shout and bestow her son a flying kiss from the balcony.

"We are proud of you!"

And indeed, they are extremely, tremendously, overwhelmingly proud of their son.

* * *

Restless, C.C. adjusts herself on her seat for the eighth time since they entered the hall. It's odd how the toga feels hotter right now than when she was outside the venue. And it keeps sticking against her skin. Plus, is she wearing the right cap? Why does this suddenly feel tight and small? Why is she suddenly so nervous when they had practiced the ceremonies thousands of times before?

She glances behind her and tries to find a familiar a blond amongst the sea of black. 'Krushevsky' is quite far from 'Corabelle' but she immediately sees her friend's hand waving at her. Giving her a thumb's up, C.C. feels much calmer upon seeing a face dear to her. She faces forward and starts counting down the minutes until the time when they receive their certificates arrive.

The hall is full of buzzing, excited energy. From the graduating students to their families and friends present, there is a steady hum that flows in the air even when the event had started. C.C. diligently monitors the flow of the program from the copy given to the students. It seems like it would take half an hour before the distribution of certificates take place. Then, a good more minutes before her name would be called. The graduating population is quite large and C.C. estimates that the ceremony will run for at least three hours. She wonders if Monica's grandmother is fine to wait that long. She had a brief chance to meet her earlier and immediately she was charmed by the elderly's quips.

But now, the temperature seems to drop lower and she worries if grandma has a scarf to keep herself warm. Or perhaps, it is just C.C. who feels cold? Observing that the students around her are all poised and relaxed, she concludes she is being paranoid. But why?

Why of all days?

Why when the most important thing that she would be doing today is to walk up the stage and trust that her hands won't be shaking so hard when she receives the piece of paper that symbolizes the culmination of her studying years?

Why, why, why?

Because she is alone.

Monica is right earlier, it saddens her that the Britannias couldn't make it in this special day. After all, this achievement is also dedicated to them. Them who welcomed her with open, warm arms when she was at the lowest point of her life. Them who provided her shelter and education as if she was related to them by blood. Them who treated her with the same love and care as a family would. The Britannias who gave her a new sense of family when she thought that she already lost one.

The hardwork and dedication she invested in her years of studying are her way to show how grateful she is for their generosity. For them not to regret every cent they had spent on her. For them to be proud of her.

But now… She sighs.

Heavily.

So heavy that the girl beside her briefly glances at her.

Well, it couldn't be avoided and there's really nothing she can do about it. It's just that she had imagined this scenario so many times before and not one of them included of her being alone.

Ugh, she is making herself sad and she might just cry right then and there. This is no time to wallow in self-pity. This the time to celebrate. Earlier she asked Monica to take a video of her when the announcer calls her name then she will show it to her family when she gets back to Britannia two weeks later.

So when finally the announcer calls for 'Cera Corabelle', C.C. puts on her brightest smile as she steps up on stage. In her mind, she silently chants for her feet not to trip until she reaches where the university president and dean are standing.

"Congratulations!"

With one hand in a handshake and the other holding the certificate, an intense feeling of accomplishment washes over her. This is it. This is finally it.

She officially finishes her studies now.

Alive.

_Alive._

Out of all the times that realization could hit her, it would have to be when the attention of the whole hall is at her, but realization did come. In full blast. Unapologetically. And standing in the middle of the stage, C.C. realizes that she almost did not make it this far – that there had been a chance when breathing and experiencing every single thing right now would not be possible for her. That she could have not gotten the chance of standing at this stage, of getting to know Monica better, of falling inlove if she had died.

But she didn't and it was all because of them, her family. But most importantly, because of  _him._

And they are not here. He is not here.

"Miss, are you fine?" The voice is muffled and distant. She feels like she is swimming underwater. She is getting dizzy. The lights are so bright.

No, she couldn't collapse now, could she? She does not want to be the talk of the university when she is about to leave it for good.  _Hold yourself together, C.C._

Somehow, she regains her footing and gives the people infront of her a wobbly smile. "I'm fine. I'm just overwhelmed."

The dean nods in understanding. "You deserved it. You are one of our best students here, Cera."

After another round of 'thank you's', C.C. manages to walk past them and makes her way to the other side of the stage. But before she leaves, she throws another glance at the audience, fantasizing her family there.

She gazes out at the people on the first floor but the lights are too dim on that part so her eyes quickly darts upward to the balcony where the lights are brighter.

As slow as she can, she roams her eyes at the faces of the audience and also tries to find Monica's grandmother. At least she can wave her certificate to her.

But she didn't find her.

Instead she finds someone else.

Up there, the only one leaning against the edge, is a young man wearing a face mask and a black coat staring down at her.

Up there, the only one leaning against the edge, is a young man whose slim built she will know even from the farthest space in the room.

Up there, the only one leaning against the edge, is a young man who has eyes of the brightest amethyst that she adores so much.

And up there, the young man holds his mask and slightly pulls it down revealing his face.

And he waves at her.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"Miss, please continue walking."

C.C. glances at the source of the voice and dazedly follows her instruction until she is off the stage. She looks up at the balcony once again and the young man who suspiciously resembles Lelouch is still there. She does not know how she managed to return to her seat without tripping, but the next thing she knew is she's back sitting on her chair. For the last time, she turns around and searches for him but he is gone from where he is standing.

An imagination?

A product of her longing?

Because it is impossible, right? Too impossible. These things only happen in the movies. How could she even see his facial features when a great distance separates them? The vertical and horizontal length from the stage to the balcony is far too large to even recognize someone. No, her brain is playing tricks on her. Lelouch's graduation ceremony will be starting a couple of hours from now and he cannot just abandon that because he is the Summa Cum Laude.

But C.C. spends the rest of ceremony with a fast-beating heart and a pair of cold hands. The restlessness she felt earlier multiplied into full-blown confusion and worry.

Until her graduation ends without her even noticing.

Monica quickly finds her who easily distracts her from her thoughts. After a brief happy dance that the blonde girl initiated, they go out of the hall to meet her grandmother.

C.C. looks up at the balcony but it is almost empty.

They find Monica's grandmother, Grandma Willa, standing at a quiet corner, separating herself from the enthusiastic crowd in the middle of the lobby. Her emerald eyes are a pair of fireflies, lighting up as soon as they land on the girls.

"Grandma!" Monica waves as they make their way to her.

Grandma Willa is a sweet old woman of silver hair wearing an exuberant energy of an eighteen-year old, and the brightest smile of a child. After enclosing her granddaughter into a bone-crushing hug, she immediately bestows C.C. the same warm treatment that surprised the girl.

"Congratulations, C.C.! I've been looking forward to meeting you, dear. Monica wouldn't stop talking about you whenever she gives me a call." Her voice is velvety with a tinge of age that implies wisdom and experience.

And C.C. cannot help but get infected by her bright and welcoming aura. A smile she rarely gives to strangers quickly emerges from her lips as those wrinkled eyes look up at her. "And Monica wouldn't stop talking about you, too, ma'am. Your granddaughter adores you so much."

This earns a raise of an eyebrow from Grandma Willa as she glances suspiciously but teasingly at the blonde. "Does she?"

Monica crosses her arms infront of her. "Well, I do help in the farm and wash the dishes."

"Of course you do. I am very proud of your achievement. And I am certain that your parents are proud, too wherever they may be right now." A tender look crosses the older woman's gaze and C.C. cannot help but look away – feeling that she is witnessing something too personal and intimate between the two.

Suddenly, a soft palm touches her arm and she finds grandma smiling gently at her. "And I am sure that your parents are proud of you, too, dear. And your family back home. It is such a gratifying experience to know that your loved one is succeeding in life. To know that their years of hardwork and dedication are paying off."

"Thank you,  _grandma_." C.C. clears her throat as her voice breaks.

Grandma's smile grows wider. "I like that."

"Okay, enough with this before one of you started crying," Monica announces.

"You might be the one who will cry, granddaughter of mine. You know C.C., Monica was such a crybaby when she was younger. She – "

"Okay, okay! Who's hungry? I know I am hungry. Grandma, you're hungry, too, right? And C.C.? Okay, let's head to the restaurant."

Monica hooks her arms around C.C. and her grandma's arms and starts dragging them out of the building afraid that her grandma would reveal more embarrassing stories in her childhood days.

C.C. lets herself be dragged as the feeling of sadness she felt earlier turns to a speck of old emotion overshadowed by the two stars beside her.

"You took a video of me receiving my diploma, right?" she asks Monica.

"Yes, I did. I'll send it to you later."

"Thank you. I'll send Lelouch and the twins a copy as soon as I get back to my apartment. It will be my surprise after they return home from his graduation."

"And who is this Lelouch?" Grandma Willa curiously interjects.

"C.C.'s boyfriend," answers Monica.

"No, he is my beloved."

"What's the difference?"

"Ah, what a sweet, endearing, young lady. And you said that it is his graduation today, too?"

C.C. avoids a girl who is walking backwards causing her to press closer against Monica. "Yes. He is supposed to be here if not for the conflict of schedule. So I asked Monica to take a video so that he and the family can at least watch it on TV."

"Well, Father and Mother will have to watch it on TV, but not us."

C.C. almost trip when her feet stumble on their own upon hearing the familiar voice.

Then she stops walking.

She turns around so swiftly that she has a moment of dizziness.

But her eyes immediately land on a pair of lavender ones.

Her own amber orbs widen.

Speechless.

Heart racing.

_Is she hallucinating?_

"Surprise, Lady C.C.!"

* * *

A few steps away from them, he watches as his masked younger sister and brother envelope her in a tight, happy hug. Disbelief and surprise is still evident on her face and posture as she remains standing there, arms limp at her sides, mouth hanging open.

Retrieving his phone, he secretly takes a picture of the scene before him, something that he will truly cherish and perhaps, use as an ammunition whenever she decides to tease him again.

"Aren't you going to show yourself?" Suzaku asks beside him.

"Let them have their moment. The twins missed her so much."

Suzaku chuckles. "Well, I can see that. But I'm pretty sure that you are just preparing for your dramatic entrance. I'll go ahead then, so as not to spoil your spotlight later."

As soon as the brunette appears in her line of sight, C.C. finally snaps out of her frozen state as it finally dawns on her that this is really happening. That they are indeed here, mind and flesh. Her hands rub the top of their heads one by one – standing on her tiptoes when it comes to Suzaku – as she bites her lips and tries to hold the tears that are threatening to fall.

"What… How?"

"A surprise! We definitely took you by surprise, right?" Nunnally cheerily inquires, obviously satisfied by the turn of events.

Her right hand over her chest, C.C. nods. "Yes, yes you did. But how… Why are you here? Isn't it…?"

"Well, there had been a change of schedule and our ceremony was moved to an earlier date."

And time stands still as she finally lays those golden eyes at him. The almost unobservable dilation of her irises, the way her small mouth forms an 'o', the slight raise of both of her eyebrows, the little gasp that she made. Lelouch feels like he is in a movie, where everybody disappears and all that he can see is her – as if there's a narrow tunnel and it is C.C. who's standing at the end. How long has it been since he stood before her, sharing the same space, breathing the same air? Four months.

Four months felt like a year.

"Hi," he exhales.

She breathes. "Hi."

They stand there before each other, their shoes separated by very few inches, heart throbbing violently, his hands in his pockets, hers on her side yet all are clenched in tight fists, nails digging onto their palms, wanting – badly wanting to reach out, grab her small hand and enclose it in his bigger one and don't let go.

Someone clears his throat.

C.C. finds her composure and quickly wears her witch persona. She crosses her arms infront of her but Lelouch catches how they shake. "I see. So this is your plan."

"Plan? I don't know what you are talking about," he plays.

She scoffs and waves him off. "Yes, yes, I don't know how long you're going to play the innocent role…" She steps back and gestures to the two women beside her. "Anyway, I would like you to meet Monica and her grandmother, Grandma Willa. Grandma, Monica, this is Lelouch, his twin siblings Nunnally and Rolo, and Suzaku, my best friend. They are my family."

All of them pull their mask down and politely greet the pair.

"Dear…" Wide-eyed, Grandma Willa grabs on C.C.'s arms. "You didn't mention that your beloved is a prince."

"Beloved?" Nunnally and Rolo simultaneously ask.

"We actually went here incognito, though we have security with us. But this is not an official visit and we would like to spend our brief time here without worrying about our privacy being invaded. So if you could keep it as a secret between us, it would mean a lot, ma'am," Lelouch answers Grandma Willa.

"Well, yes of course, Your Highness!" They flinch at the loudness of her voice. "Pardon me," she continues bashfully. "Yes, I can certainly do that."

The prince flashes her a charming smile. "We are thoroughly grateful. And Miss Monica?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Congratulations, and I am very grateful to you, too, for taking care of C.C."

Tucking her hair behind her ear, Monica is flustered and shy all of a sudden. "You're welcome, Your Highness."

"Well then," Nunnally announces. "We've reserved a restaurant where we will celebrate this momentous event. Please join us, Grandma and Miss Monica."

The pair look at C.C. as if asking for her permission to join them.

"It will be a pleasure if you could both join us," she responds.

The twins, followed by Suzaku, and Grandma Willa and Monica walk a few steps ahead of Lelouch and C.C.

Mask back in place, Lelouch scans the crowd that gathers around them. He catches a glimpse of the undercover securities that are planted in the area - some from the royal palace, some provided by the university which coordinated their arrival with the National Police of Japan.

He hopes that they can continue to hide their identities for as long as they are here. He would like to spend this time to do whatever he wants without the restriction of being judged by the public. Especially now that he feels uncontrollably restless in the presence of C.C.

Glancing down, he finds the witch walking beside him with her head lowered to hide her face from him.

"Are you okay? You looked dizzy while you were on stage."

She mutters something that he doesn't catch right away.

"What?"

"I said, why do you have to be like this?" she murmurs under her breath, still refusing to look at him.

"Like what?"

She shakes her head. "I hate you right now. I really, really hate you right now."

"Hm? Are we playing the 'Antonym Game'?"

A couple of steps of silence.

Then a nod from her.

Lelouch looks ahead and notices that the twins have occupied the attention of Monica and her grandma. Suzaku is being his knight and is keeping a steady watch of their surroundings. No one is looking at him and C.C.

Discreetly, he takes her right hand and immediately puts it inside his coat's pocket and does not let go.

Finally, C.C. glances up at him, cheeks all red, then looks down at the pocket where their hands are entangled and safe.

A gentle squeeze.

An assurance.

And ever so slightly, she leans her head against his shoulder and they continue to be like that until they reach the cars waiting outside the building.

* * *

The celebration at the restaurant went on smoothly with Grandma Willa and Monica still star struck by the personalities infront of them. Despite seeing the prince for a few times through the laptop, Monica found herself still stumbling over words as she tried to join the conversation. Meanwhile, Grandma Willa looked like she was in cloud nine as she fondly treated the twins as if they were her own.

"I can't wait to visit Switzerland and work at Grandma's farm. I also want to try rolling on the grass," Nunnally says in the car.

"She is very nice and warm. I suddenly miss our own grandparents," Rolo adds.

Lelouch would have liked to tell them a story about their grandmother and grandfather but even he wasn't able to see them alive.

"Anyway!" Nunnally's excited outburst is so sudden. Turning around on her seat on the front, she looks behind and focuses her attention at the pair sitting beside each other.

"I've been wondering about that one thing Grandma Willa mentioned."

C.C. cocks her head. "About what?"

"About Lelouch being your 'beloved'. What does she mean by that?"

The green-haired lady glances curiously up at Lelouch as if verifying the amount of information they must give the twins. Well, they couldn't hide their relationship from them for a long time, and he is not planning on hiding it forever. In fact, he would be more delighted to let everyone know that he is totally and completely captivated by the witch beside him and vice-versa. Just like how Grandma Willa knew that he is her beloved. C.C. definitely told her that and it made him proud and touched.

He is about to answer when C.C. beats him to it.

"Your brother is a 'tsundere' when it comes to me."

"A tsun-what?" Rolo asks, puzzled.

"A 'tsundere'. It's a Japanese term that perfectly defines your brother's relationship with me." Crossing her arms infront of her, C.C. continues. "He always acts as if I am a mess that he wants to fix, right?"

The twins nod, completely invested to the explanation.

"He always nags about how you are so untidy and messy," Rolo adds.

"I am not like that," objects Lelouch but they ignore him.

"He also always scolds me when I did something  _slightly_  wrong, or something that affected his schedule, right?"

The twin nods again.

"What – That's not true!"

"Plus, he always comments on my pizza addiction but would eventually ask the chef to cook a lot and even wear Cheese-kun merchandise."

"Yes, yes." This time it is Suzaku who answers.

Lelouch is devastated from the betrayal. "Suzaku! Even you - !"

"Finally, he always acts as if I irritated him."

"Yes!" the three shout in unison while Lelouch's "No!" is a weak cry from the depths of the abyss.

"But here's the twist."

"A twist! I love twists!" Nunnally exclaims.

"Stop dragging them into your senseless explanation, C.C."

But C.C.'s audience move further in, anticipation is mirrored on their eager faces. Lelouch gives up and slumps on his seat. Looking out the car window, he tries to hide his smile.

"The thing is, he's like that because he tries to conceal his deep and strong affection for me."

"Brother's… deep and strong affection for you?"

C.C. nods proudly. "Yes. Truth to be told, Lelouch here admires me, worships me even. He wants to build a statue for me, or a shrine where he can peacefully sends his prayers to me." They all start to snicker except for the witch who has taken the job of storytelling so seriously and for Lelouch who pretends that he does not hear anything. "Sometimes, I think that he even wants to be me. I mean, I cannot blame him, I want to be me, too if given another chance. So one night, when he felt that his heart couldn't take it anymore, he confessed his feelings to me."

Nunnally squeals in her seat, Rolo is still holding his breath while Suzaku is all amused by everything.

"How did he confess?" Nunnally's eyes is shining like the brightest star.

"That…" C.C. smiles knowingly, a secret in her lips. "…is something just between the two of us. Right, Lelouch?"

Turning back to the conversation, the prince sighs. "To be fair, you confessed that night, too."

His beloved nods and looks up at him as she pats his arm adoringly. "Ah, yes I did. And it's the best decision ever."

Nunnally squeals again but now, her squeal is accompanied by a clap. "So it's official? You are officially dating? Lelouch? Lady C.C.?"

Without missing a beat, they answer at the same time. "Yes, we are."

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Unable to control her joy, the princess grabs her twin's collar and shakes him so hard that his head is flailing back and forth like a bamboo. "Congratulations! I'm so happy! Oh my God, Mother will be overjoyed by this news."

"Uhmmm, Nunnally, would you let go of Rolo before he throw up?" Suzaku asks.

"Oh, oh! I'm sorry, Rolo."

Dazed, Rolo congratulates them, too. "I'm happy for the both of you. Nunnally's greatest dream finally came true. But... How long have you been dating?"

C.C. counts the days with her fingers. "Hmmm. Let's see... About more than month now."

"Tell me you didn't forget the exact date, C.C. or else I'll hide all the Cheese-kuns in the world if you ever forget our anniversary."

She glares at him. "I remember it. And try doing that, let's see if you'll still be able to play with your chess set without missing a piece."

The two settle in a staring contest which is very reminiscent of their childhood plays. Two younger green-haired and raven-haired children who made it their mission in life to tease and be teased. To care and care deeply about each other. To be soulmates who started off as friends but grew closer and closer as years passed by.

To love and to love back.

Nunnally, Rolo and Suzaku all shake their heads, fascinated by the bond these two shared. They know who will be the winner in this staring contest, just like who it will always be. The only difference now is the players are unaware that their hands had found each other, fingers clinging, palms touching. Lelouch's thumb is rubbing the top of C.C.'s hand as if reassuring himself that her skin is real.

Nunnally smiles to herself and clings to her twin brother's arm. Because Rolo is right. One of her greatest dreams finally and beautifully came true.

* * *

"What do you think? Will Euphy like the pink one or the yellow one?"

Lelouch tilts his head and examines the two Hello Kitty headbands that are in Suzaku's hands. The pink headband is definitely the cuter one and the one which is closest to Euphy's aesthetics, but it would be nice to see another color pop out in the midst of her pink collection.

"Buy the both of them so she will have more options to choose from."

Suzaku nods, already grabbing the green, purple and red headbands. "Right, I'll get all the colors."

Shaking his head, the prince proceeds to the clip section and searches for something to give to Nunnally and C.C. Japan is truly elaborate and creative in their designs, Lelouch concludes. For the couple of hours that he and Suzaku has spent in the shopping district, he had seen more new, inventive and innovative items here than in the whole of Britannia. There are even items that he doesn't know exist, or think that is impossible to create, but here they are in the shopping district of Tokyo, abundant and loud.

And Lelouch is overwhelmed, impressed and fascinated.

He had seen in the television, internet and magazines how fashion forward Japanese could be but seeing them upclose and personal - colorful outfits that you would never imagine to match perfectly, high-heeled boots, shoes with abstract designs, clothes that range from victorian dresses altered to look modern, to gothic styles that he read once as visual kei - is such an exhilarating and eye-opening experience. He admires the way they freely and bravely express themselves through fashion, of how they confidently and proudly carry themselves in public and how the public respects them.

He is in fact surprised that C.C. didn't adapt nor was not influenced by their fashion sense during her three years of staying here.

"I heard that the Fenette Kingdom and the Chinese Federation have officially signed a treaty to improve and strengthen their partnership through new regulations on business ventures and enhancement of law enforcement and warfare interoperability through joint missions and trainings," Suzaku says as he browses the earring section.

Inspecting the necklace in his hand, Lelouch raises an impressed eyebrow. "That would definitely elevate their status among the United Federation of Nations in terms of warfare capabilities. The Chinese Federation alone boasts various innovations and inventions in their technology that even Britannia does not have." He turns the pendant in between his fingers and gets satisfied when the light hits the crystal. "I assume that is what the Fenette Kingdom truly after."

"Will this be a cause for concern?"

"Hmmm… It could be. But the Chinese Federation has always been an independent nation which stands firm on its own culture and principles despite having entered several agreements and treaties with other nations. I doubt that they would actually lend the Fenette Kingdom enough access to their resources especially with the king's unstable reputation right now. But it won't hurt to be vigilant and careful on dealing with them. I'm certain that Father is fully aware of it."

"But the talk is, it wasn't the king who sped up the signing but Princess Shirley. It seemed like the Tianzi had taken a great liking to her and the king took this as an advantage, sending the princess in several events where she could meet the Tianzi."

Lelouch stops examining the necklace and looks beyond Suzaku's shoulder as an image of a bubbly, ginger-haired woman crosses his mind. Princess Shirley. It has been a while since he had heard that name. And it felt like decades have passed when he had last seen her.

Their last meeting was heartbreaking and bittersweet. He could still remember his rage upon knowing that the princess who he considered as a dear friend played a big role in that dreadful incident. He was devastated and angered, and the last meeting with her was a gamble of whether he would explode or not.

Yet, as soon as he laid his eyes upon her nervous yet hopeful gaze, his rage slowly evaporated, leaving him as a vessel of crackling anger that isn't strong enough to create fire.

And when he watched her confessed her feelings for him with sincerity and courage, he felt then that the princess only acted with good intentions, though she might as well acted selfishly despite being unaware of the results of her actions.

He still considers her as a good friend, a companion that he would be glad to meet again.

But perhaps, it is still too soon for their paths to cross again.

"The Tianzi must have been captivated by the princess's sincerity and kind heart."

"Are you still mad at her?"

He brings his gaze to Suzaku's emerald, inquisitive eyes and answers shortly, "Not anymore."

Suzaku stares at him for a moment, trying to find any lie in his statement then nods at the prince's hand. "Are you going to buy that? That's pretty."

Looking down, Lelouch smiles at the simple yet elegant necklace in his palm. "It is, isn't it? This will definitely suit her but..." He frowns. "This is also too cheap. And the crystal is not real, plus I worry that the metal would rust after some time."

"I am sure that C.C. wouldn't mind as long as it is from you."

His frown deepens. "I intend to provide her only the best quality of everything that I will give to her. I am the First Prince of Britannia and I don't fulfill my promises half-heartedly."

"What are you trying to say, Your Highness?" Suzaku asks in amusement.

"I am saying that we shall proceed to the most established jewelry store in Tokyo right at this very moment and look for the most beautiful and the most elegant necklace perfectly suited for my beloved."

* * *

"Three days? You're here for only three days?"

C.C. blinks at Nunnally through the mirror, surprised by what the younger girl said.

The princess almost nods before remembering that the stylist is doing her hair. "Yup. Lelouch has to attend an important meeting with the other heads of states on Friday as Father's representative."

"Oh."

"So, we have to spend these three days to the fullest before we come back. Say, Lady C.C., is there a chance for us to attend a festival where we can wear a yukata?"

"Well... Unfortunately, there is none. The last one that I attended with Monica was two weeks ago."

"Oh, do you have a picture? Were you in yukata?"

C.C. retrieves her phone from her bag, her Cheese-kun key chain dangles in the air as she searches her photo album for the pictures that Monica took for her.

"Yes, here it is."

Nunnally's eyes instantly light up, a little gasp coming from her lips as she browses the pictures. "You looked so cute in pink, Lady C.C. And those pigtails are adorable, too! It's sad that we wouldn't be able to go."

"Nunnally's been looking forward to wearing a yukata even before we got here," Rolo interjects.

"Rolo, you look like an emo teenager with that straight and black hair. Your bangs even cover one of your eyes," his twin laughs.

Rolo pouts. "But I look good, though. And what about your neon blue hair? Lelouch will definitely have a heart attack when he sees you."

"I'll ready my phone to capture his expression," C.C. says, a determined look on her face.

"And we'll ready ours when he sees your hair," they both giggle.

C.C. touches the short strands of her red hair that reach the back of her neck and smiles to herself. Of course, that would be the highlight of her day. A sort of payback for the shock that he had caused a while ago.

It's childish, definitely not on the same level with what he did, but it has been in their nature to always tease each other. And she won't let this chance of seeing his cute surprised, and perhaps, alarmed face go.

* * *

So far, Lelouch has been satisfied, impressed, and proud of himself for everything that he had accomplished today. If there is a competition for being the best lover in the world, he's certain that he is running for first place. It was so easy to persuade the university president to change the date of his graduation – three days earlier than the original date – and solve the issue of the conflicting schedule. Then, the twins' delight upon knowing that they'd get to come to C.C.'s graduation and visit Japan made his heart full. But the highlight of the day was seeing C.C. all flustered, confused, and overwhelmed when she saw them. When the shadow of sadness that he saw from the balcony was quickly replaced by joy and disbelief upon seeing the twins and Suzaku. When he felt her warm hand in his and the welcomed weight of her head on his shoulder. And now, he just bought the prettiest necklace for her.

But he shouldn't have forgotten that the day hasn't ended yet and that there are a lot of unexpected things that could happen.

He shouldn't have been too relaxed and put his guard down. He should have remembered that he is talking about C.C. here and the witch always comes with retaliation regardless of the nature of what he did.

So after a couple of hours of doing their own businesses and they got reunited, he almost faint on the sidewalk when her long, green, silky hair is all gone and replaced by a short red bob that is even shorter than his. He almost faint when his younger brother transforms into an emo band member complete with the thick eyeliner, and Nunnally, oh God, does her hair glow in the dark?

He grabs Suzaku's shoulder to steady himself and hysterically tells his friend. "They are kidnapped. My siblings and C.C. are kidnapped. We need to find them!"

But the ever-loyal Suzaku just shrugs and pleasantly asks, "Are those permanent dyes? I love the loud color Nunnally. You look like an 'idol'. Rolo, you look really edgy with that hair. We need to find you an electric guitar to complete the look. And C.C., if you didn't call us, I wouldn't have believed that it was you. Did you really get a haircut?"

Lelouch turns his attention to C.C. and waits with bated breath and furrowed brows for her answer.

"What do you think? Does it suit me?" she says as she pats her head.

"You look great. Never thought that short hair would suit you. Right, Lelouch?"

Helpless, Lelouch roams his eyes over C.C., Nunnally, and Rolo and takes in their excited and happy expression. Especially the twins' overjoyed expression because being a royalty had restricted them to limited fashion styles. But now, away from the eyes of the palace's rules and regulations, discreetly blending with the public, is a good opportunity to explore new things even for a brief moment.

"I-It's different and somewhat unexpected but it isn't something unpleasant to look at. In fact, it is a perfect disguise to hide your identity. No one would recognize you."

"Then you should have come with us, brother!" Rolo says. "You could have gotten a blonde hair. Anyway, where have you been?"

From his peripheral vision, he sees C.C. tilts her red head curiously. The weight of the box in his pocket gently reminds him of the persistence he had felt while scouring three jewelry stores just to find the right one for the right person.

He smiles. "It's a secret."

They ended up visiting a couple more places and eating dinner in a traditional Japanese restaurant before going on their separate ways. The change in their haircolors proves to be an effective way to avoid the public from recognizing them without wearing face masks except for Lelouch and Suzaku.

On their way to C.C.'s apartment, Lelouch finds himself at the brink of falling asleep most of the time. Jetlag is starting to kick in and even the twins are not spared from feeling the accumulated tiredness for the day.

"I'll walk you," the prince says as he follows C.C. to the complex.

The lady nods as she briefly glances back at him and continues to trek the short walkway to the lobby. The elevator ride is spent in a comfortable silence with Lelouch occasionally stopping himself from yawning.

C.C. invites him to her apartment but he politely refuses.

The twins and Suzaku are waiting for him. They are all sleepy, he couldn't stay long. He still needs to look after his younger siblings. C.C. leans against the doorway with her arms crossed infront of her as she watches him spout more excuses.

Because he needs a reasonable excuse or else, once he steps inside that apartment, he might not leave for today.

"Those are washable hair dyes. They will easily come off when the twins take a shower."

Lelouch sighs in relief.

"And…" C.C. grabs her red hair and pulls it off. "… This is just a wig."

Lelouch stares as her long emerald hair cascades like a waterfall around her creating a halo of gentle green and peace of mind.

"You were quite worried, weren't you?"

"I… Yes, I was."

"Today was fun. Thank you."

"No problem."

C.C. shakes her head, an echo of a chuckle vibrates in her chest. And when she looks up again, her eyes are that of a crystal hit by the sun rays. "No, that was a lie. You… You made me the happiest person today that's why…"

_Soft._

_Warm._

Her soft lips on his right cheek is both a surprise and a moment that has been long overdue.

She lingers there, her lips touching the corner of his – warm and light – and if he moves and turns his head just for a little, changes the angle with the slightest tilt of his face, their lips would meet and fit and lock.

And he wouldn't be able to leave.

So he remains at his current position as he holds his breath and his heart rebels to escape from his chest. He can feel her sweet breath caress his skin until the warmth is gone and C.C. stands back on her heels. Lelouch bets that he mirrors her elated expression.

"I'll see you tomorrow, my prince."

And she enters her apartment and closes the door behind her.

Weak, Lelouch leans his forehead head against the door and closes his eyes. Oh, God.  _Oh, God_. Biting his lower lip, he tries to stop himself from smiling so widely. He puts his restless hands inside his pockets and feels the small box in one of them.

He closes his right hand over it and exhales.

_This is happiness._

And he returns to the waiting car with an extra spring on his steps and the traces of sleepiness all forgotten and gone.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

"What is this, Lady C.C.?"

"Kimonos for you to wear today."

"But..." the younger girl is an image of confusion and suppressed giddiness. It was an unexpected situation. A surprise. They were supposed to fetch Lady C.C. from her apartment and from there, they will head to explore the other sides of Japan. So when the security opened the door of their hotel room revealing the lady during the early hours of the morning - carrying three boxes and wearing a purple kimono - Nunnally thought that she was dreaming at first.

Pinching her arm, she accepts that she is awake and this is really happening.

"... But I thought there will be no festival taking place."

"There isn't. But... We could still visit a couple of shrines today, though they are a bit far from here that's why we need to leave early."

The princess's eyes widen as she hails her new heroine infront of her. "You mean we can wear kimonos today?"

Lady C.C. nods.

Squealing, Nunnally runs to another door and knocks several times until a sleepy Rolo comes out of it.

Rolo scratches his bird nest hair as his eyes slowly adjust to the light. He yawns. "What the hell, Nunnally? It's still so early."

Poor Rolo, his body clock hasn't adjusted to the time difference. But Nunnally could only provide him a brief mercy for now.

"Lady C.C. is here. She brought us kimonos to wear. We're going to visit shrines today!"

"But..." Rolo starts worriedly which makes Nunnally start worrying too. "That means we're going to be out in the public without any disguise. I mean, we can't just randomly pair something with the kimono, right? In respect to their culture."

By hearing that, Nunnally's shoulders drop, the excitement that she felt earlier begins to wane. Rolo's right, they cannot just go out carelessly and without any disguise if they want to keep this visit private. Lelouch alone is quite popular worldwide, with his face occasionally plastered in magazines and news shows. Even abroad, her handsome brother had gained an impressive number of fans that would certainly be glad to see him in the flesh. Her and Rolo, might not be as popular as him but they are popular enough too to be recognized by paparazzi.

Then there's Suzaku who might be Lelouch's personal knight and who grew up in Britannia throughout his whole life but is proudly accepted and recognized by the Japanese. His other relatives still reside here and once, when he visited before, he was welcomed by the mayor of their town himself.

So, if these circumstances will be considered, there is a great possibility that their trip would be exposed.

She sighs.

Well, they couldn't risk anything especially in a foreign land. Especially when all of the Emperor and Empress's children are together and faraway from the familiarity of their homeland.

Suddenly, a hand rubs Nunnally's head and when she looks up, she finds Lelouch standing infront of her.

"Don't worry. I've already arranged everything. There will be securities around the perimeter and we will trek routes that lesser people take."

"Oh... Oh."

Bending to her level, C.C. smiles at her as the former taps her small nose with her forefinger. "You've been looking forward to wearing a yukata, right? Well, we don't have a festival but visiting shrines brings new and amazing experiences, too."

Nunnally looks between her older brother and Lady C.C. Her chest is filling with butterflies that long to escape and fly around them to rejoice the turn of events.

"Thank you," she says silently.

"You're always welcome, Nunnally," replies Lelouch. "Well then, if we want to spend this day to the fullest, we need to start early."

So Nunnally, with her renewed energy and enthusiasm, runs across the room, gathers her toiletries into her arms and does every part of her morning routines two times faster than normal.

* * *

Atsuta Shrine in Southern Nagoya is a three and a half hour-drive from Tokyo, so when the group arrives at the place, the sun is pleasantly shining through the tall trees giving the surroundings a warm golden glow. As planned, securities are discreetly scattered in the perimeter with a small team following the royal party. Fortunately, visitors haven't crowded the shrine so Lelouch and the others are able to enjoy the serene and solemn atmosphere of the place for themselves.

"Atsuta Shrine is one of Shinto's most important shrines. It is the second largest shrine and houses the "Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi" which is one of the Three Sacred Imperial Treasures." C.C. stops infront of a gray wall that is two-meter high and is made up of tiles sandwiched by sandy-clay cement. "This is Nobunaga's Wall or what remains of it. This was built around the shrine by Oda Nobunaga, the warlord of Owari, after winning the Battle of Okehazama in 1560. His army of 2,500 men defeated the 25,000 men of the invading Imagawa Yoshimoto army."

"1560?" Rolo utters. "It is quite an old wall. And what happened to the rest of it?"

C.C. nods. "It is an Otsuchi-styled wall. The tiles are the traditional Japanese kawara roof tiles. It used to be 400-meter long but most of it was destroyed during the air raids in World War 2. Yet, it is still recognized as one of Japan's three most important Otsuchi styled walls, along with those of the Sanjusangen-do of Kyoto and those of the Hyogo Nishinomiya Shrine."

"Now, this is the Nijugocho-Bashi Bridge which is Nagoya's oldest stone bridge. It derives its name from the 25, which is nijugo in Japanese, flagstones on it."

"Old camphor trees can also be found in the forest with some of them more than a thousand years old. They are sacred and are believed to be inhabited by divine spirits."

"Now, we are entering one of my most favorite places here, the Atsuta Jingu Treasure Hall which has about 4,000 valuable treasures and more than 170 of it are considered as national treasures or important cultural properties. Samurai swords, daggers, historical clothes, ancient documents, and even mirrors can be found here."

C.C., in her most quiet voice, tries to explain the relics and treasures displayed inside the hall. Lelouch's eyes travel critically around, his movements limited and respectful to the people and objects around him. He could see why C.C. chose to study here for her major. Japan is rich with history and culture that is continuously preserved and protected by the government and its people themselves.

He looks away from a samurai sword as his siblings silently gasp before him. They stare at elaborate ceremonial dance masks of red and gold that portray different expressions.

"They are Bugaku masks. They represent people, creatures, devil, ghosts, and animals and are connected to myths and folklores. They are worn traditionally during theater, festivals or rituals," C.C. explains.

Looking beyond the twins, her eyes find his and a frown appears on her face. Confused, Lelouch tilts his head in question but the lady's attention is quickly snatched by Rolo who inquires about another mask.

They stay for a few more moments inside the hall before they proceed to the main attraction which is the Hongu Main Shrine. Though not out for public display, the Kusanagi no Tsurugi lies inside the shrine.

A quiet and solemn visit is what they bestow the place. C.C. refrains from her usual history lesson and focuses on paying respect to the shrine. Even the twins, whose eyes are wide in amazement, remain silent throughout the whole stay. Eyes closed, Suzaku keeps still as he gives homage to his culture.

It is an enriching experience, something that only these kinds of places could provide, and Lelouch would have wanted the peace and solemnity he is feeling to last long until they return to Britannia.

Somehow, in this place where tradition, history and the modernity of the visitors meet, a feeling of unification engulfs his body. As if he is living in two different time spaces at the same time, as if he is travelling back in the past with his other foot left in the present. He hears the whispers of the memories engraved in the walls of the shrine, the battle cries of the soldiers and the praises of the worshippers.

In this place, everything that had happened in Britannia seems so foreign, as if it had taken place in another lifetime, in a parallel universe, and Lelouch threads on a thin rope separating both worlds.

He does not know why he feels this way. It is strange. Almost otherworldly.

Feeling that he is being observed, he glances to his left and finds C.C. looking at him with a frown on her face again. He raises an eyebrow in response.

After paying respect, the group stands a few meters away from the shrine and takes a couple of group pictures as remembrance of the day.

Lelouch calls C.C. as the twins and Suzaku take pictures of their surroundings.

"Hmm?" C.C. hums.

"Come closer."

She takes a step closer to him.

"Much closer."

Another couple of steps.

He sighs. "C.C., do I have a contagious disease that you cannot stand beside me?"

"Well, to be clear, you didn't specify that I should stand beside you. You should have said it in the first place. Now, is this okay?"

Their arms are touching now. Lelouch looks back at the shrine before them then back to his beloved.

Grabbing her small shoulders, he moves her slightly infront of him so that her hair is tickling his chin and neck. All the while, C.C. stays silent but observing of what he is about to do next.

He retrieves his phone from his pocket and opens the front camera. Searching for the right angle, he tells her, "I'm gonna take two images. On three, I'll press the button, okay?"

"Okay."

"One, two, three."

Click!

"One, two, three."

Click!

He immediately checks the pictures and notes that his chin looks too long on the first one. He frowns. Why is it like that? Is it the angle? The camera application distorting his face?

Then he hears a feminine chuckle.

"What's funny, C.C.?"

"You should have told me that you wanted to take a selfie. You looked so dead serious I thought something bad happened. Let me see the pictures."

Suddenly, a mass of green blocks his view of his phone. Without any word, C.C. steals his phone from his hand and does her own examination.

"See, we're not even smiling in any of this. Okay, come here."

All of a sudden, C.C. hooks her arm around his neck and pulls him downward. They are eventually cheek to cheek and Lelouch only has a matter of seconds before everything registers in his brain.

"Wai - "

"Smile!"

Click!

"You look constipated here. Give me a natural smile, Lelouch. Here we go. Smile!"

Click! Click! Click! Click!

C.C.'s thumb presses the button non-stop, so fast like a programmed robot.

"Hey that's enough!" he whines, but he can feel his ears heating.

Snatching his phone from the persistent girl and taking a step back, he immediately puts it back to his pocket – away from the reach of the witch.

"And of course, it's my phone's turn now. C'mon Lelouch, stop being a grumpy old man and give in to my whims. I'll just take one photo so you better prepare."

He sighs. Nothing's going to stop her now that her mind is set onto something. And as if he can deny her of her wishes when she is currently giving him that eager smile and bright golden eyes. When her cheeks are peppered with red and a dimple appears on her left cheek. When she is looking up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes that always intrigues him, making him curious of what she plans, and causing him to surrender to her requests.

Of course, he will be surrendering to her.

But he needs to keep his image intact.

"Fine. But only one photo. They are already waiting for us."

"Yes, Your Highness," C.C. jokingly answers.

So he moves closer again, stands slightly behind her and bends so that their heads are on the same level.

"Okay, on two!"

"Only two?"

"One, two!"

Lelouch's eyes widen like saucers.

Then the next thing he knew, C.C. is running away from him, towards his siblings and Suzaku, her green hair that is up into two pigtails floats behind her like ribbons, and his left cheek is still warm from the touch of her lips, and he is feeling all sorts of warm and flustered, and they are calling for him but his focus automatically goes to C.C. who is waving her phone at him triumphantly, so he runs towards her – panting – and upon reaching her place, Lelouch pants some more, a tease already at the tip of the witch's tongue but is left unsaid when he grabs her hand, and he starts walking ahead of them – her hand still in his – tightly clasped between them and for all the world to see.

* * *

A little after noon, they return to Tokyo where they go straight to Meiji Shrine and write their wishes to small pieces of papers. It is almost evening when they are able to explore the shrine and C.C. gladly explains to them its historical background in the midst of glowing lanterns and lamps.

And when the clock strikes at eight in the evening, a fireworks display ornaments the night sky surprising every tourist in the vicinity.

"Is there a celebration?" Rolo asks.

C.C. shakes her head. "I am not sure, but based on the height and angle of the fireworks, it seems like they are coming from outside the shrine."

"Well, aren't we lucky?" Suzaku muses.

They all marvel at the rainbow of colors that sparkle above them. Glass shards of red, blue, green and gold fall like shooting stars, traversing the black sky.

It feels magical, an event destined to happen despite none of it was planned to coincide with their tip. The twins intently watch the firework as if it is their first time seeing one. Somehow, under this foreign sky, everything seems possible.

"What did you write on the paper, Rolo?" Nunnally asks, her eyes fixed on the lights above them.

Scratching his cheek, Rolo glances down as if he can find the answer on the ground. "Uhmm… well, I wrote a little something about school and Father and Mother and Lelouch… Err… I also wrote something about you."

At this, Nunnally glances at her brother and patiently waits for him to continue. "I prayed that we will always be together," he silently says.

She giggles. "But that's impossible! You will eventually have a girlfriend…" Rolo becomes flustered much like his brother, "And I will eventually have a boyfriend…" And he turns annoyed very much like his brother, "Take different majors in college, then…"

"You know what I mean, Nunnally," he cuts her.

Stopping herself, Nunnally regards him with gentle appreciation as she hooks her arm around his. "Of course I do. And I prayed for that, too, you know. Now that we're going to enter our last year of high school, a lot of things can happen that would be beyond our control. We might get into a fight or be in different classes or compete against each other. Or meet other people, be part of separate social circles. Sometimes I wonder if we entered school too early." She shrugs. "Being younger than our classmates and being part of the royal family sometimes make me feel disconnected from them and you are all I've got."

"Well, if those ever happen, we still live under one roof and at the end of the day, no one can replace you as my twin sister."

"And you will always be my twin brother and best friend."

Rolo is flattered. "Thank you."

Behind them, Suzaku stands amused on how everything turns out. It's just last December when Lelouch celebrated his 21st birthday and C.C. returned to the palace after three years of staying in Japan. It was just last December when they got reunited again, rekindled their friendship in the most unexpected way.

And a lot happened since then.

Ups and downs.

Fight and reconciliation.

But despite that…

He gazes at the pair beside him and smiles.

Curious, Lelouch asks him what's going on.

He shrugs. "Nothing. I just thought it's sad that we have to return to Britannia tomorrow."

"It's actually amazing how I never thought of visiting Japan much earlier."

"Really?" Suzaku and C.C. scoffs at the same time.

He doesn't know what Lelouch told C.C. before, but Suzaku had been at the receiving end of the prince's 'I want to go to Japan' whines when they were younger – when C.C.'s departure was quite fresh and new.

"Well, we can go back here for a longer vacation. Perhaps, have Euphy join us in our trip," C.C. suggests.

Suzaku beams.

Suddenly, everything turns quiet and the light that dances in the sky disappears. The crowd starts buzzing again as it disperses to the food stalls and shops established in the area.

"It's already over?" Rolo glances up at C.C. waiting for her confirmation.

"I think so."

"Perhaps, it's also time for us to go home. The little princess is already exhausted," announces Lelouch.

They all turn their attention to Nunnally whose head is already lying on Rolo's shoulder and who is sleeping soundly like the princess she is.

* * *

But C.C. cannot sleep.

Try as she might but her eyes wouldn't cooperate.

It's been what? Two? Three hours? Since she lied on the bed in the hopes of recharging her energy from the activities they've done for the day but good grief, her mind won't let her be in peace.

Staring at the dark ceiling of her room, she can feel a headache coming in. Ugh, this will be a total burden comes morning. Closing her eyes for the nth time, she tries to remember the breathing exercise she had watched in the internet before that supposedly help people fall asleep.

But her attempts are futile.

For whenever her eyes closed, another pair appears before her.

Beckoning her, teasing her, adoring her.

And that pure adoration in his eyes is what makes her constantly restless just like tonight.

Giving up, she decides to get up and make a calming tea for her racing heart. In the kitchen, she quietly enjoys the solitude of her apartment which she would be leaving for good very soon. Ah, she really had reached this stage of her life, huh? After three years of staying here, it is time to say goodbye.

These walls had witnessed her study, do projects, build an unexpected friendship, cry overnight and squeal until morning.

These walls had silently witnessed how Mao attacked her that night and trapped her terrified screams and fear into their hard foundations, keeping them there without any escape. The door that his chainsaw destroyed was completely replaced by a new, thicker one. During that month of stay in the hospital, Charles and Marianne had offered her a new apartment, but for reasons she couldn't remember now, she refused. So they resorted to remodeling the place with much tighter and stricter security.

And in a matter of days, this chapter will be officially closed.

Is she sad?

Perhaps.

This place is more than just what transpired during that terrible night. This has been her sanctuary during the three years that she is away from her family.

Is she nostalgic?

Definitely. Just looking at it is making her wistful and reminiscent.

Will she return to this place?

Perhaps, not exactly to this apartment, but she is certain that she would be coming back to Japan more than once and continue to appreciate its culture, tradition and beauty that it generously lends to her.

But most importantly, she is grateful.

Grateful that she had survived everything that came in her way. Grateful for the experiences that made her stronger and perhaps, a little wiser. Grateful for despite that incident, she learned how to be more honest, understanding, and appreciative of the people around her. She learned and realized her flaws that had hurt others and hopefully, she could avoid doing them again in the future.

C.C. is very much grateful because somehow  _it_ became a catalyst, a door that closes the fearful events and opens for infinite possibilities.

After all, freedom is at the other side of fear.

And it takes courage and bravery to overcome your fears and rid yourself of the shackles that enslave and stop you from becoming your own person.

Right, Cera is truly grateful.

Her late night musings are suddenly halted by a couple of knocks on her door. Puzzled, she grabs her phone, her finger ready to dial Lelouch's number if danger appears and slowly approaches the door.

It's almost two in the morning. Who will be paying her a visit at two in the morning? Everyone is fast asleep as far as she knows.

She looks around and grabs the vase nearby to serve as a weapon.

The knocking stops.

Do they leave?

She waits.

Her eyes making sure that the door is completely locked.

Then the knocking resumes.

Suddenly, a voice.

She immediately grabs the knob.

* * *

Lelouch cannot sleep, too.

The fact that he wasn't able to give C.C. the necklace today has been bugging him all night. That moment under the fireworks should have been perfect. Too romantic and scenic, in fact. But he would have wanted to be alone with her when that happens. A moment that is exclusively theirs.

So now, half an hour before two in the morning, he lies awake on his bed contemplating on going to C.C.'s apartment to give her the necklace. Sure he can give it to her tomorrow, but the hassle of preparing their things for their flight back to Britannia will ruin the atmosphere.

Ah, damn it. She would be definitely sleeping right now. Almost everyone had passed out as soon as they hit their beds what with all of the activities that they did today.

But maybe, she isn't.

Maybe she's still awake.

Getting his phone from the night stand, he unlocks it only to be greeted by his wallpaper. He smiles automatically at the selfie they took earlier. Pressing her number, he waits for her to pick-up but she doesn't. He tries again but C.C. still does not answer.

He rests his arm over his face and sighs. She must be sleeping now. He has no choice but to give her the necklace tomorrow.

The loud ticking of the clock is mocking him of the time he is wasting. Tik tok, tik tok. Time is running fast. He could spend this night up and thinking and be a walking zombie later during in the airport. Or he could try to fall asleep again and fit in some rest within a couple of hours.

He gets up.

He texts her that he is coming.

Still no reply.

After changing his clothes, he grabs his coat and puts the box of necklace in one of the pockets. Only a couple of securities does he allow to accompany him in this late night visit. Or rather, very early morning visit.

In the car, he checks his phone for a number of times to see if she replies. Still nothing. Their hotel is located not too far from the apartment, a distance that he purposefully considered before checking in. So in a matter of minutes, they are already outside of her complex. Looking up, he sees that the light in her window is on.

Huh, did she leave them on?

Almost sprinting, he trudges the stairs in a stable speed. Why he didn't take the elevator, he does not know. He is just functioning through adrenaline. The box in his pocket is lightly tapping his thigh as he goes up.

It wouldn't hurt to try. If she is awake, then that would be a better outcome. But if she isn't, well, he really does have to settle on giving the necklace later. Or perhaps when she is finally back to Britannia. Damn, that would be too long of a wait.

As soon as he reaches her door, he knocks twice.

No answer.

He knocks again.

Still there is silence from the other side, but he hears a slight movement.

He tries to listen to the direction of the movement, figuring out what could have been happening inside. Did he wake her up?

Well, he will knock for the last time and if the door does not open, he needs to wait until the sun is up.

So he knocks.

He calls her name.

And the door opens.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"What are you doing here?"

"Why are you holding a vase?"

C.C. slowly puts the vase down and glares at the man infront of her. "Because you might be someone dangerous who stalks people and attacks at night."

Lelouch nods, impressed. "Smart girl. But… I called a couple of times and messaged you that I will be coming."

"You didn't."

"Check your phone, C.C." Lelouch folds his arms as he watches C.C. look at her phone and widen her eyes.

"Oh. I forgot to remove it from Silent Mode."

"Is it safe for me to come in now?"

"Yes, yes, you may."

Stepping inside, Lelouch immediately assess the condition of the unit. He only had a brief glance of her apartment yesterday, but now, looking at it from the inside, he concludes that it is quite simple and small. No one would have thought that it is being rented by the royal family with how minimalistic the style is. There are the clean yellow walls that he bets would reflect the sunlight during the day and something he recognizes from their video calls. A low wooden table in the middle of the living room - low enough for those who will sit on the floor. A blue sofa seemingly wide enough for five people to sit on, though he is certain that C.C. utilizes it for lying down. A flat screen television plastered on the wall, three small plant pots on the window sill, an abstract painting hanging on the middle wall, and a mini book shelf.

There is a thin divider that separates the living room from the dining room and kitchen. Then one closed door near the television that could be leading to C.C.'s room.

Too simple and convenient.

Yet it also feels comfortable and homey.

"Why are you here, Lelouch?"

He turns to the sound of her voice and finds her leaning against the door. She is wearing another one of her Cheese-kun pajama collection - a green one - and she looks totally adorable in it.

Instead of answering, he walks towards her, fueled with purpose that must be reflected in his eyes for C.C. straightens up and readies herself. But she is not ready when he grabs her arm, pulls her towards his body and envelopes him in a tight, clinging embrace.

Citrus. He deeply inhales her citrusy scent. Buries his nose to the crook of her neck and holds her tighter.

"Lelouch?" she asks tentatively.

"I've been wanting to do this since yesterday," he murmurs. "You don't know how hard it was to stop myself from holding you in public."

Slowly, slender arms wrap around his back and he feels her lay her head on his chest. "Believe me, I know," she mumbles.

"You smell nice."

"Well, I bathed with rose petals and jasmines a while ago, then applied some oil after shower."

"Are you torturing me, C.C.?"

"Perhaps, I love teasing you."

"Of course you do."

Before he can stop himself, he gives her shoulder a light kiss before letting go. C.C. holds his hand and guides him to the sofa where they sit side by side.

"Do you want to watch something?" she asks.

He shakes his head.

"Is something wrong?"

"What made you think that something is wrong?" he inquires.

"Well… You were quiet most of the time when we were in Nagoya. Were you bored?"

The worry on C.C.'s face is too genuine that he reaches out to smoothen the wrinkles between her eyebrows.

"I wasn't. I was just trying to take my environment in. To bask in the solemnity and sacredness of the shrine. I was actually having an out-of-the-body experience when we were in the main shrine that's why I was being quiet."

"Oh."

"Plus, there's a beautiful historian who was really good at explaining the history of the place. It would be a shame to interrupt."

She laughs, all worry gone. "It is still too early to call me a 'Historian'. But yes, I am definitely beautiful."

He raises an eyebrow. "Wow, your humility knows no bound."

"I am just trying to keep up with your ego."

A comfortable silence settles in. C.C. starts humming a tune that is unfamiliar to him while her head rests against his arm. Lelouch's fingers play with hers as their hands entangle on his lap. This feels nice. This is something he can get used to. Something he wants to do all the time with only her. Yet, nice things sometimes do not last. After all this is too good to stay in reality for long. And that does not bode well with him.

Out of nowhere, Lelouch silently asks, "Is it really okay for you to be with me?"

"Where is this coming from?"

He shrugs. "You know…" A sigh. "After everything, you still accept me?"

Her answer comes fast and without any hesitation. "I do. And I am happy. Really, really happy. This is the happiest I've been ever since I became part of the family. Are you happy, Lelouch?"

His chest deflates in relief. "I am the happiest man on earth and Cera?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to kiss you right now."

"Then do it."

C.C. straightens up and looks straight into his eyes as if challenging him, as if encouraging him to do it, and he will. After everything, oh, goddamn he fucking will.

Slowly, he moves his face closer without taking his gaze off her waiting face. Lifting his hand, he cups her face and tenderly caresses her cheek.

Too soft and too smooth. How can someone be this angelic?

He wants to laugh. Angelic? How can a witch be angelic?

But here is one infront of him.

He moves closer that their breaths are already mingling, so close that they are breathing the same air, too close that he can't help but glance down at her pink lips. Heart racing, he could see the tiny freckles dusting her nose which are only visible when you are very close to her. And he is indeed very close to her. The tips of their noses are now touching yet no one dares to shut their eyes.

"I am warning you though," he whispers, "This might take a while."

C.C. smiles at the same time she grabs his collar. "You talk too much, Lelouch."

And she pulls him in.

And their lips finally touch.

There is a moment of stillness when they both stay unmoving, the shock of this new sensation electrifying their veins and holding them hostage. He can feel her chest rise against him, her hands crumpling his collar.

Then Lelouch closes his eyes and moves his lips. Testing. Tasting.

Tasting her soft, warm one. Tasting her every little gasp that comes out from her lips. Tasting more than ten years of friendship and loyalty that bind them together. Tasting her feelings, tasting her heart.

It is sweet, vibrant and tastes like effective love spells.

Her lips move slowly against his - unsure and innocent. Light as a feather, it is becoming unbearable how pure they feel. How they tentatively lock with his as if seeking for guidance if she is doing it right. Holding her chin, Lelouch angles their faces so that the both of them could be more comfortable and open.

He nips at her bottom lip, lightly traps the top one between his teeth before covering her mouth with his.

Needing air, he slowly pulls away and rests his forehead against hers. Their ragged breaths echo in the silence of the room as they briefly stare at each other - dazed and euphoric - before C.C. kisses him again, this time more aggressively. Gone is the innocence from earlier.

The fairy transforms into a witch.

Her lips tightly press against his as she moves to straddle his lap and puts her hands on his shoulders.

Lelouch automatically holds onto her waist like an anchor to keep him from drifting away, her emerald tresses creating a curtain around them - shrouding them from the outside world, creating a world solely for them.

And he kisses her hard and long.

Reaching up, he buries his fingers into her hair as he pulls her closer to him. Closer and closer, she is not close enough goddamn it.

Her nails dig into his coat and he welcomes the additional sensation like an addictive drug.

She is warm and soft at the right places. She lightly squirms when he squeezes her waist. Her hair tickles his neck as her left hand finds its way on the back of his head, and the way she pulls at his hair is making him heady.

Oh God, he is completely losing himself to her.

He wants to be greedy. He wants her just for him. Only him. And he wants himself to completely belong only to her.

Just Lelouch and Cera and no one else.

Lelouch and Cera, only them.

His mind is going blank.

Panting, he gradually pulls away and stares up at the goddess infront of him.

He needs to pull away because it is becoming too much, because he must before he totally lose his sanity and control.

And good thing he did, because the sight before him is a sight to behold.

C.C. is looking down at him with those hooded shining golden eyes. Her lips and cheeks are all red like cherry on a cake. And she glows under the dim light of the lamp like a fallen angel that came down from Heaven to revive him.

Because wow, she looks so alive and unreal at that moment. She is life itself.

His life.

"Oh God, Cera." His voice comes out rough and low.

Running her thumb over his lower lip, she utters in disbelief and wonder, "Lelouch, that was..."

"Yes, it is."

They spend a moment to calm their racing hearts, to normalize their ragged breaths, to lower down their body temperatures.

C.C. attempts to remove herself from him but he quickly grabs her waist and stops her.

"This is where you belong."

"Okay."

He tucks her hair behind her ear and before he can stop himself, Lelouch caresses her rosy cheek with such reverence and care.

"Let me be clear about one thing, Cera," he utters.

"What is it, Lelouch?"

"I wholeheartedly enter this relationship with you with the full intent of marriage in the future."

C.C.'s eyes widen as a small 'o' forms on her lips. Placing her hand over the one that he has on her cheek, she asks, "Is this an indirect proposal?"

He nods. "Consider it as an advance notice for what could possibly happen in a matter of years."

The laugh that she releases almost resemble the sound of wedding bells and it warms his heart. "You really like to have everything well-planned and on schedule, huh? Typical, Lelouch."

"And despite knowing this, you always mess with my plans. That's why we have to settle the 'Terms and Conditions' of our relationship."

C.C. raises an eyebrow, amused. "Like a contract?"

Lelouch nods seriously. "Accurate. A contract from me to you and vice-versa."

Folding her arms infront of her, the witch sits on his lap intrigued about what ideas could be swimming in his scheming mind. He looks so dead serious and determined which is part of his charm. "I'm listening."

"Only two things." Lelouch holds up two fingers. "One, love and two, honesty."

"Love and honesty?"

"With love comes sincerity, care, understanding and acceptance, while with honesty comes loyalty, courage, trust and principles."

She plays his words inside her mind for a couple of times.  _Love and honesty._ C.C. stares at his amethyst eyes and sees the worry that lingers in his irises. How his eyebrows are slightly furrowed, almost invisible to a person who isn't looking too closely.

He is afraid, too, she realizes, of the enormity of their relationship. Afraid of how this wonderful thing between them could easily disappear without them seeing it approach to an end. Afraid of the unknown and unexplored sides of each other that even they themselves do not know exist, and whether they would be able to accept such flaw and weakness.

Afraid of being left behind, of the idea of one of them giving up, or wanting to be freed.

As much as they are happy right now, there will always be the fear of uncertainty hanging above them like a dark cloak waiting to fall and cover them.

She thinks of what happened between them during Mao's incident. It almost break them, almost separated them.

C.C. takes his hands and holds them between hers. She is afraid, too of what the future would throw upon them. But she is not just with someone who is her beloved. She is not just with a random guy who she chose to be her boyfriend. She is with her best friend who knows her better more than anyone else, her very first friend who showed her kindness and sincerity at a very young age, and her family who will never ever leave her.

Their relationship is not an overnight job that suddenly sprang out infront of them. It was more than ten years in the making and in those years, they've been through a lot, seen the ugly and weak sides of each other, cried in each other arms, celebrated momentous events in their lives.

And that is all possible because they are together.

He is a prince and she is a witch.

But they, too, are accomplices.

Squeezing his hands, she gazes at him with equal seriousness and assurance. "I understand. I accept your contract."

Lelouch exhales in relief. "Thank you... Now, to seal this contract..."

He gets something from his pocket and suddenly, a small purple box appears infront of her.

"Open it."

C.C. obliges and inside she finds a simple yet elegant silver necklace. As she takes it out of the box, the minuscule sunflower pendant dangles at the center.

She lifts it up to the level of her eyes. The yellow crystals that made up the petals shimmer like glitter, like sun rays hitting the surface of the sea. They are stars in a cosmos, golds in a mine.

"Ah, they are almost similar," Lelouch utters.

She glances at him. "Hm?"

But he doesn't answer instead he caresses the skin under her left eye.

She asks for his assistance in wearing the necklace and his gentle hands lock it behind her neck. The pendant is cradled between her collar bones looking very delicate and precious.

A promise waiting to be fulfilled.

"Thank you," she murmurs. And for the very first time, she tells him, "I love you."

* * *

"We'll see you in the palace next week, Lady C.C.! Mother mentioned something about preparing a welcome back party for you."

"That sounds like Marianne which means we cannot do anything to stop her. I just hope that it will not be too extravagant." She fixes the buttons on Nunnally's coat before turning her attention to Rolo.

"Puberty is looking good on you, my child. You've grown a lot since I left the palace. Tell me, how's your progress with Gabrielle?"

Rolo immediately blushes as he tries to deny C.C.'s statement. "It's nothing like that, Lady C.C.!"

"I'm just teasing you," she laughs. "You are becoming more like your brother in that aspect."

From the sidelines, Lelouch clears his throat.

She raises an eyebrow as she turns to him. "Offended?"

"Flattered. We all know that's part of my charm."

This departure area was closed from the ordinary public. Their pleasant goodbyes resound inside the area with only a few of the airport staff fortunate to witness.

Walking towards C.C., Lelouch holds out his hand which the former takes.

They shake hands.

"Why are they doing a handshake?" Rolo asks in the background.

"That's typical of your brother," answers Suzaku.

Lelouch shakes C.C's hand firmly as if he is closing a deal with a diplomat. Too formal. "See you later. Be safe during the last days of your stay here. I'll be leaving a group of security to accompany and assist you until you come back. In case there is an emergency or something happens, call me at once."

"Understood, captain."

Nunnally giggles. "Are they role playing?"

Suzaku shakes his head. "Typical of C.C."

An airport staff comes to them and relays that they need to embark the plane. Waving for the last time, the royal party bid their good byes to C.C.

"I'll see you all next week!" she shouts.

"Be fast on fixing your documents, Lady C.C.! We'll be waiting for you!"

She turns her gaze to Lelouch who simply nods at her. She nods in return.

A long exhale escapes her lips as they disappear from her sight. Another week, huh? She is certain that this week we'll pass by like a wink.

She smiles. She can't wait to return to the palace. She even misses Marianne's ridiculous and exaggerated musings. Oh, the face she would make when C.C. and Lelouch inform her about the progress in their relationship. Oh, the empress would definitely be over the moon.

She looks down at her right hand that is still warm from the contact. A handshake? Good grief, sometimes that boy is really unbelievable - always surprising her with his unexpected actions and words. But he is her unbelievable boy.

It will be a few more minutes before the plane finally leaves and C.C. will stay until it disappears in the clouds. She is about to go sit on a bench when she sees a figure running towards the closed door of the departure area. Squinting, she can see someone who is tall, slim, with raven hair.

Huh?

Why is Lelouch running back?

Did he forget something?

She scans the place but finds nothing of the prince's possessions.

An emergency? Did something happen inside the plane?

Worried, she goes to the door and waits until the prince is panting infront of her. A staff opens it for them.

"Why are you here? Is something wrong?" she immediately asks.

"No, nothing happened."

"Then why - "

The kiss is fast and hard but it lingers on her lips.

"I'm here to claim my goodbye kiss," he says with a smile.

Surprised, C.C. could only blink at him.

"That's much better than the last airport kiss, isn't it?"

She nods. "Sneaky boy."

"Well then," he steps back and puts his hands inside his pockets. "Good bye for now. I'll be waiting for you, my witch."

Chin tilted up, C.C. puts her hands behind her back - tightly clasped.

"I'll return to you, my prince."

* * *

_Three and a half years ago_

_Lelouch watched as her slender figure approached the door that would be separating them for a very long time._

_God, why was he being emotional right now? They'd talked about this for a thousand of times already. They had planned their schedule, the timing of their calls. He even prepared some healthy recipes for her to learn to cook alone. That was aside from him teaching her how to cook for the last couple of weeks._

_He didn't get emotional during those times. He didn't get emotional when he was infront of the witch._

_But now..._

_Ugh, he couldn't show a face like this or else he would be giving her ammunition to take to Japan which would definitely be an endless teasing from her part._

_Lelouch shook his head and cleared his throat. He was worried. Right, that's it. He was certainly worried for his willful seventeen year-old best friend who would be pursuing her studies for years in a foreign land where she knew no one other than her self. She had practiced her Japanese, right? She practiced it with him so he was quite comforted that she wouldn't be having a hard time communicating to others. And she had a decent sense of direction, too that would surely come in handy in the future._

_He sighed. Well, that's good. But still..._

_Lelouch looked around and found that the rest of his family had left the area including Suzaku. Huh, he didn't notice. Did they tell him that they would be leaving? He couldn't remember. He was too busy thinking and worrying._

_Because that's what he always do whenever C.C. was concerned. And now... This was the first time that they would be apart for a very lenghty time. Not days, not months, but years. Years! Who thought that it was a good idea?_

_Get yourself together, Lelouch!_

_It's not as if he couldn't see her anymore. In fact, they would be talking again as soon as she lands which was like, a few hours from now on. He could sleep off the waiting time._

_Yeah, he could do that after staying up last night._

_Looking beyond the large window, Lelouch inspected the condition of the private plane from where he was standing. This was newly-procured according to his father and one of the latest model from the company. It better take C.C. safely to Japan._

_"Lelouch!"_

_He almost jump at the unexpecred sound of her voice and the witch had the gall to laugh at him._

_"W-What are you doing here? It's almost time for you to leave!" he scolded._

_"Ah, so you really wanted me to be gone from your sight. And here I thought you're being sad because your best friend would be leaving. I am disappointed, Lelouch," C.C. said with a fake hurt expression as she shook her head._

_Lelouch sputtered. "Wh- No! I didn't mean it like that!"_

_The witch smiled. "I know. I'm just teasing you." Then she sighed. "See? This why I am worried about leaving you. You're too gullible at some things."_

_"Stop talking nonsense."_

_"What if a girl fool you into being his boyfriend? And then you'll propose to her and marry her only to be trapped by someone who wants you for your status and money. Your story would be the subject of many TV series and movie adaptation."_

_"You're being too imaginative again, C.C.," he countered after regaining his composure. "Plus, that is impossible to happen since our deal is still in effect, right?"_

_She waved him off. "Right, right. Being your fake long distanced girlfriend this time to ward off the fangirls who'll surely see you as a prey now that you're open and vulnerable."_

_"Glad to know that we are clear on that matter."_

_"So..." Uh-oh, he didn't like this tone of her voice and the way her eyes glinted with michievousness. His feet voluntarily took a step back as they sense an oncoming danger. "Won't you give your girlfriend a goodbye kiss?"_

_He choked._

_And she laughed at him once again._

_Ah, he's gonna miss that laugh._

_Still trying to relearn to breathe through his nose, Lelouch looked away. "Don't go saying things like that to strangers in Japan." He turned back at her. "Trouble will - "_

_..._

_Wha -_

_Her face was too close, very very close, when did she get too close to him? And... And what was this situation?_

_They both looked at each other, wide-eyed as they processed the kiss that was currently happening between them. Shock, they remained unmoved, frozen by the surprised contact of their lips._

_Then in a speed much faster than light, they pulled away so fast as if they were kissing with fire. Lelouch immediately covered his mouth while C.C. quickly turned away._

_Silence._

_And then..._

_"Why did you turn around? It's supposed to be on the cheek!"_

_"Then don't go around kissing people!"_

_"That's my first kiss, you idiot!"_

_"Witch!"_

_Both red, the tinge on their cheeks was evidence of their embarrassment, something that was undeniable despite how hard they tried to hide it with their temper._

_"Yeah, whatever. Goodbye."_

_"Goodbye."_

_What?_

_Heart still racing, Lelouch watched as she exited the door once again. He willed her to look back. Look back. Look back at him for the final time but she didn't. She boarded the plane without giving him a single glance._

_He ran his hand through his hair. What the freaking hell? He wanted to laugh crazily. What the freaking hell happened?_

_Certainly, he wouldn't be getting any sleep when he arrived at the palace because good grief, the witch stole his first kiss, too._


	23. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The smell of old documents brings a strange calmness to Cera as she makes a surprise visit to the Archive Section of the Britannia National Museum. It's been years since she last stepped into it as an intern and this visit bestows her a sense of nostalgia of her colourful intern years.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am."

"Good afternoon." Giving the employees a nod, Cera proceeds to check the shelves which house the most important documents of the history of Britannia. Leon, the head archivist, immediately goes on to explain the latest documents that they are studying and dissecting, and introduces to her the new interns who are helping them with their job.

Obviously nervous, the interns almost stutter as they stand before her so she gives them a kind smile.

"Thank you for your efforts in helping our senior archivists. Your fresh ideas and energy are very much welcomed and valued here so I hope that you are enjoying yourselves."

"Thank you, Ma'am!"

"Mr. Leon?" she calls.

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Make sure that they are comfortable while doing their work. And provide them materials from which they can learn and hone their skills more."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Glancing back at the interns, she remembers how she was one like them some years ago – enthusiastic and excited for the opportunity the work would offer, thrilled for the new learnings that she was about to acquire and happy for simply being able to do what she loved.

Suddenly, Nonette, her secretary, whispers to her ear. "My Lady, His Highness is waiting at your office."

"Hmmm? Tell him that I'm in the middle of making rounds in the museum and I can't entertain an ex-lover right now."

Nonette does not even blink. "Understood."

But Cera follows her secretary back to her office. She is there behind Nonette when the latter relays the message to the first Prince of Britannia who, in return, glares at her over the secretary's shoulder. As soon as Nonette leaves them alone in the confines of her office, Lelouch leaves his post infront of the window and goes to where she is standing in the middle of the office.

He folds his arms. "Is that the right way to welcome me after being away for two weeks?"

"As Nonette had mentioned, I was in the middle of making rounds since I am a curator. Plus, this is a surprise visit from you. I definitely didn't know."

"What I meant is you should stop calling me your 'ex-lover' infront of other people and start referring to me as your husband. Good Lord, C.C., we've been married for ten years now."

"Ah."

"Yes, 'ah'."

She finally gives up her witch mask and opens her arms. Lelouch automatically falls into them and encases her in his own warm ones. "Welcome back, Lelouch, my dearest husband," she whispers into his ear.

"Much better. And I missed you so much, my love." He presses his lips against her hair, deeply inhaling her citrus scent that had been scarce from him for two weeks. Holding her on her shoulders, they share a long passionate kiss before pulling away from each other. Cera pushes away a stray hair strand from his face and caresses his cheek. A few wrinkles had been appearing lately on his face due to the load of work that is coming his way. Especially now that the Emperor is undergoing medical treatment; his work is doubled stealing hours of rest and sleep from him.

"Are you going to be busy, too, this time?" she asks.

He shakes his head. "No. I have no schedule for the coming weeks."

"Really?" she giddily responses. "Then, have you seen the kids?"

"Not yet. Lucille was still in nursery and Claude was in school when I called the palace so I went straight here."

"I see." Cera is already pulling him towards the door, her emerald wedding ring shines between them. "Well, let's fetch them together. They will be extremely delighted that papa is finally home."

Lelouch raises an eyebrow but lets her pull him. "I thought you're busy making rounds."

"Did I say that? Well, I can reschedule it for another day. Right now, it is family time."

And Lelouch laughs.

Indeed, he is finally home.

**_~Fin~_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> I couldn't thank you enough for being with me throughout this whole journey. Thank you for everyone who had been there since the beginning, for everyone who found and stuck with this story – who lent their precious time and efforts to read this fanfic.
> 
> It's quite a journey, writing "The Prince and The Witch". I never planned for it to turn out this way. Actually, I didn't even know how it would end when I first started writing it. I just wanted a lighthearted, goodnatured LelouchxC.C. fanfic but as we all knew, it didn't turn out like that. But still, I'm glad with how the story evolved and how our characters grew along with the story. Thank you for the love and support that you gave to this AU Code Geass characters. I hope that I gave justice to them.
> 
> "The Prince and The Witch" is a very special project for me. I've been in a writing slump for many, many years, but rekindling my love for Code Geass and its characters woke up my drive to write again. Finishing this and "Please Come Back" is an achievement that really means a lot for me and my dreams. Something I thought I could never do again. And they taught me to explore more about human emotions and principles, to even ask myself about what is right and wrong, what is enough and just, and where the gray area lies. So really, I owe Code Geass so much for being an inspiration and encouragement.
> 
> I'm sorry for the grammatical errors that occurred. I would definitely fix them in the future.
> 
> Once again, thank you very much for all your support. I read all of your reviews and I greatly appreciate every one of them. Thank you, thank you.
> 
> Always believe in your dreams.
> 
> Chase them.
> 
> Catch them.
> 
> Until the next CG fanfic, have a great day!


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